Eskymos Start Fast; Calumet Armory Jinx Continues

CALUMET----For a while there, it looked like the Escanaba Eskymos would do something that no Eskymo hockey team has done since the late 1990's: win a game at the Calumet Armory. The Eskymos scored two quick goals in the first period, and came close to scoring a third. They had the Calumet Copper Kings on their heels, down 2-0.

But the second period was a nightmare for the Eskymos as they gave up two shorthanded goals on the same power play, and the Copper Kings posted a 5-2 victory Saturday night at the Armory...now known as the Colosseum.

Derek Chaillier (10) was the game's #2 star

"We didn't play three periods of hockey," Eskymo Coach Tim McCarthy said. "Those two shorthanded goals took the wind out of our sails. There's no doubt that Calumet is a very good team, and Calumet does not like getting beat in their house."

Ben Lasecki blasted one past Calumet goaltender Troy Pierce with 4:54 left in the first period, then 36 seconds later, Jake Eastin scored off a beautiful Levi Wunder set-up, and the Eskymos were cruising with a 2-0 lead.

On the next two shifts, the Eskymos continued to keep the puck in the Copper King zone, but they could not get that third goal.

Calumet closed to within 2-1 when Quintin McCarthy had the puck hop off of his stick in the neutral zone. Eric Mattila scooped up the puck, skated in on Eskymo goaltender Nick LeMire, and scored his team's first goal.

Jake Eastin Goal for Escanaba.

But the turning point came in the second period, when the Eskymos were on the power play midway through the period.

The Eskymos got caught on a long shift and the Copper Kings came in shorthanded. Mattila ripped one over LeMire's shoulder for the tying goal.

It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the Eskymos this season. Unfortunately, it wasn't the last.

Escanaba's T.J. Myrick (9) battles Calumet's Lucas Lahnala (13) for a loose puck.

Just 46 seconds later, the Eskymos sputtered again in the neutral zone and Brendan Jacques took an errant pass off the wall, and got it to Lucas Lahnala for the go-ahead goal...another "shorty".

Calumet had scored just one shorthanded goal all season long.

"They came and brought it to us," McCarthy said. "Too many times, we stood around. When you take the speed they have all night long, they brought it. We just know that we have to work harder, because these are the type of teams that we'll face downstate."

Escanaba was trying to at least get to the locker room down by a goal, but it didn't happen.

Calumet built on its momentum with another goal, by Bryce Johnson with 1:38 left in the period, and it was 4-2. The Eskymos, though, had two golden opportunities to get that goal back as the Kings got another power play less than one minute later.

Dan Ritter player spotlight interview.

Escanaba's leading scorer, Levi Wunder, got shorthanded breakaways on two consecutive plays. But he hit the goal post on the first chance, and Pierce made a glove save on the second chance.

Calumet's Reilly Schreiber closed the scoring early in the third period as he tipped one past LeMire after a teammate tried a wraparound.

Levi Wunder can't get it past Troy Pierce.

Both teams had 30 shots on goal, but the Kings took advantage of their chances. Mattila had two goals and added two assists, and was chosen the game's #1 star.

"The second period is what hurt us," McCarthy said. "We know that. Calumet is one of those teams that you don't gave any advantage to, because as soon as you do, they make you look silly."

Escanaba (10-3) had its nine-game winning streak snapped. Calumet is now 8-5.

The Eskymos will play at home Tuesday night against the Marquette Redmen. The game from the Wells Sports Complex starts at 7:00.

It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600) and rrnsports.com, starting at 6:45.

OTHER U.P. HOCKEY SCORES---The Hancock Bulldogs shut out Fond duLac, Wis., 1-0, Saturday at the Houghton County Arena. And at a tournament in Sault Ste. Marie, the Blue Devils lost to Plymouth, 6-3, while Painesdale-Jeffers topped Cheboygan, 6-3.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos, and to listen to highlights and interviews. Thanks to Lisa Dagenais for the photos. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for the videos, but the videos do not appear on this web page because they somehow all got deleted.

Game Thirteen: Calumet Copper Kings 5, Escanaba Eskymos 2

ESCANABA 2 0 0----2
CALUMETI 1 3 1----5

First Period
ESC 1-0: Lasecki 9 (Ritter, Eastin) 12:06
ESC 2-0: Eastin 16 (Wunder, Vandermissen) 12:42
CAL 1-2: Mattila (Rowe) 15:21

Second Period
CAL 2-2: Mattila (unassisted) 7:53 SHG
CAL 3-2: Lahnala (Jacques) 8:39 SHG
CAL 4-2: Johnson (Mattila) 15:22

Third Period
CAL 5-2: Schreiber (Mattila, Johnson) 4:01

Escanaba Penalties (2/4): McCarthy 2 tripping; McCarthy 2 cross-checking.
Calumet Penalties (3/6): Johnson 2 tripping; Gill 2 tripping; Mattila 2 tripping.

Power Plays: Escanaba 0/3; Calumet 0/2.
Shots on Goal: Escanaba 13-8-9=30; Calumet 13-12-5=30.
Three Stars: 1. Mattila, CAL; 2. Chaillier, ESC; 3. Pierce, CAL.

This is "The Crew". Mark Gauthier (right) helping Jack on the radio, and Jalyn Dagenais doing the stats.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

11/27	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	7 - 5 (W)	1-0

12/5	7:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	1 - 3 (L)	1-1

12/7	7:30 PM	at Macomb Dakota	0 - 8 (L)	1-2

12/8	12:45 PM	at Utica Eisenhower	4 - 1 (W)	2-2

12/14	8:15 PM	Tomahawk, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	3-2

12/15	2:15 PM	L'Anse Purple Hornets	9 - 1 (W)	4-2

12/18	7:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	5-2

12/28	8:15 PM	Monroe, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	6-2

12/29	2:00 PM	Painesdale-Jeffers Jets	9 - 1 (W)	7-2

1/4	6:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	8-2

1/5	1:30 PM	at Grand Blanc Bobcats	9 - 1 (W)	9-2

1/8	7:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	4 - 3 (W)	10-2

1/12	6:00 PM	at Calumet Copper Kings	2 - 5 (L)	10-3

1/15	7:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	3 - 1 (W)	11-3

1/26	7:00 PM	at Cheboygan Chiefs	8 - 0 (W)	12-3

2/1	7:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	9 - 2 (W)	13-3

2/2	1:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	6 - 4 (W)	14-3

2/7	8:00 PM	at Hartland Eagles	4 - 2 (W)	15-3

2/8	6:00 PM	at Rochester United	1 - 0 (W)	16-3

2/9	12:30 PM	at Chelsea Bulldogs	6 - 5 (W)	17-3

2/12	7:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	7 - 5 (W)	18-3

2/15	7:00 PM	Calumet Copper Kings	7 - 3 (W)	19-3

2/16	1:00 PM	Hancock Bulldogs	4 - 3 (W)	20-3

2/18	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	21-3

2/21	7:00 PM	Kingsford Flivvers	6 - 3 (W)	22-3

2/26	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	23-3

2/28	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	8 - 0 (W)	24-3

3/2	1:00 PM	Saginaw Heritage Hawks	1 - 2 (L)	24-4