SURVIVE & ADVANCE: Esky Eliminates Kingsford

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos taken by Lizzy Taylor. Also click the AUDIO buttons to hear post-game comments from Isaiah Boyce, Nolan Bink, and Coach Andy Johnson. Also hear player spotlight interviews with seniors Trevor Streichert and Sawyer LaMarch.

WELLS---This time, it ddn't take four overtimes.

Unlike last year's marathon Escanaba playoff win over Kingsford, the Eskymos built a four-goal lead and held on to beat the Flivvers, 4-2, in the MHSAA Division Three regional semifinals Friday night at the Wells Sports Complex.

Brayden Martineau scored the first two goals of the game, and then the Eskymos peppered Kingsford goaltender Isaiah Anderson for most of the second period.

Nolan Bink scored a shorthanded goal and Guner Bourdeau added a power play goal as the Eskymos went ahead, 4-0, and advanced to the regional championship game next Wednesday night against Sault Ste. Marie.

The Blue Devils slipped past Manistique, 2-1, in the other semifinal.

The Flivvers got a buzzer-beater goal from Will Murvich to end the second period, and then they outplayed the Eskymos in the third period, but could only get one more puck past Eskymo goaltender Cully Hayes. Jack Supanich scored that one at the 9:35 mark, but Hayes stopped the other twelve shots he faced as the Eskymos got into penalty trouble several times.

In fact, Bourdeau ended up drawing four minor penalties in the game. And while he was serving two of them, the Eskymos also took tripping penalties, giving Kingsford long 5-on-3 power play chances in both the first and third periods.

Kingsford didn't score on either 5-on-3 opportunity.

For long stretches, the story of the game was Anderson in the Kingsford net. He stopped eight shots in the first period, including point-blank shots by Martineau and Trevor Streichert (and Boudreau rang a hard shot off of the goal post).

Then in the second period, the Eskymos dominated, and would have mercied the game after two periods had Anderson not made save after save after save. The Eskymos got three pucks behind him in that period, but Anderson stopped the other 17 shots he faced.

The Flivvers did not give up. After getting that buzzer-beater, they outsplayed the Eskymos in the third period, and this time, it was the Esky freshman goalie who had to come up big.

Escanaba ended up outshooting Kingsford, 36-24, with Anderson finishing with 32 saves and Hayes stopping 22. The Flivvers committed only two penalies all night, while the Eskymos were whisted for seven minor penalties.

Kingsford finished its season with a 10-15-0 record. Escanaba improved to 19-7-0. The Eskymos will face the Sault High Blue Devils (20-6-0) in the regional championship game Wednesday night. Game time is 6:30 and it will be broadcast on FM-106.3.

SAULT HIGH 2, MANISTIQUE 1---The Manistique Emeralds hockey season came to an end Friday night with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Sault Ste. Marie in the MHSAA Division Three Regional semifinals in the Soo. The Blue Devils got the first goal by Avery Wilson early in the game, but Stephan Allan's power play goal tied it at 1-1 a few minutes later. It stayed tied until Ethan Adair scored the game-winner with 12:47 left in the third period for the Soo. Manistique finishes a great season with a 18-7-1 record.