Eskymos Hang On To Earn Showcase Sweep, 6-5

CHELSEA, Mich.---A weekend filled with mixed emotions and some pretty good hockey came to an end Saturday as the Escanaba Eskymos competed for a third day at the Michigan Public High School Hockey Showcase in downstate Chelsea.

The Eskymos faced the host Chelsea Bulldogs and fell behind 2-0 as they spent a lot of time in the penalty box. But Escanaba took control of the game by scoring five straight goals, and then the boys held off a late Chelsea charge to post a 6-5 victory.

Ben Lasecki (4) in close quarters Saturday.

Jake Eastin and Nick Vandermissen each scored twice, while Levi Wunder and Derek Chaillier each tallied twice.

The Eskymos won for the third straight day at the Showcase and improved their record to 17-3 on the season...but it sure wasn't easy.

"We were definitely hanging on today," Eskymo Coach Tim McCarthy said. "Three tough opponents in three days, and you could tell that we were a little tired."

"Three games in three days is hard," Chaillier admitted. "Especially against these caliber of teams."

"My legs started to go there at the end," Vandermissen said. "Otherwise, I was pretty good."

The Eskymos were so tired because they played a tough, emotional 1-0 game against Rochester United Saturday night. That was a game that saw the Eskymos kill off five Rochester power play chances, and the penalty-killers were busy again Saturday.

Luke Anthony player spotlight interview.

Chelsea (14-5-2) scored a fluke goal 6:16 into the game when the puck hit the skate of Taylor Atchley and beat Eskymo goaltender Nick LeMire.

The Eskymos got into deeper trouble in the closing seconds of the period when Eastin felt he was interfered with, but there was no call.

Eastin argued with the officials and got 12 minutes of penalties for his troubles.

"The puck wasn't even close to me," Eastin said. "I was at the top of the circle, and I could see the guy tee me up from the other side of the red line. I mean, he broke my stick! It was just one of those things like, how do you not see that?

Nick Vandermissen (8) crunches a Chelsea player during Saturday's game.

"It was frustrating and I lost my temper there for a second," Eastin continued. "But collectively, as a team, we kept our composure and we finished the game."

With Eastin in the box, the Eskymos tried to improvise...and re-focus on the game.

"That definitely hurt," McCarthy said. "We weren't able to play our game. The referees set the tone for the game right away. You're battling from behind, you get there, and pretty soon, you have another call against you. And it just went that way. The referees took that away, and we didn't have good composure on the bench."

"I was just trying to keep my head and make sure that I didn't punch anyone," said Vandermissen, who was also frustrated with penalties early in the game.

Chelsea took advantage of Eastin being in the box as Brody Layher knocked a rebound past LeMire to make it 2-0. But Escanaba rebounded quickly as Vandermissen stole the puck at center ice and came in for an unassisted goal at 3:20, and it was 2-1.

Shortly later, the Eskymos were in the box again as Dan Ritter received a questionable elbowing call. But this time, it was Escanaba scoring as Wunder got a wraparound goal to tie the game. It was his 34th goal, and Escanaba's ninth "shorty" of the season.

Then Chaillier started to take control of the game. He stole a puck, got it into the neutral zone, and got it to Wunder. After a Wunder toe-drag he got it back to Chaillier with a nifty cross-ice pass. Chaillier smacked the puck into the net to put Escanaba in front.

Derek Chaillier (10) defends Chelsea's Alec Daman (88) on Saturday.

The domination continued as Vandermissen scored his second goal of the game...and 23rd of the season...off an excellent feed by a very patient Wunder.

That point was Wunder's third of the game, and gave him a school-record 60 points in 20 games.

With the score 4-2, the Eskymos made the play of the night. And it as Chaillier who did most of the work as he twice held the puck in the Bulldog zone. He then made a pinpoint pass to Eastin who scored a tap-in power play goal with 26 seconds left in the period.

"I dove and it was right at the blue line," Chaillier said. "I stopped it and dumped it in, and then the guy had his head down. So, I just toom it off his stick and Jake was back door, wide open."

"That was a great play by Derek," Eastin said. "All I had to do is put 'er in."

Jake Eastin from Derek Chaillier makes it 5-2

"We came out in the second period after a very frustrating first period and just dominated," McCarthy said. "It was great to see the boys respond like that."

Escanaba led, 5-2, entering the third period. The Bulldogs, who hadn't played since last Monday, were able to take advantage of a weary Eskymo team that continued to get called for penalties. Alec Daman scored goals at the 2:49 and 10:38 mark, and all of a sudden, Chelsea was within 5-4...and there were still more than six minutes to play.

The biggest goal of the game came 57 seconds later as Eastin smacked home his 21st tally of the season. Chelsea did score with 56 seconds left in the game, but the Eskymos held on as the Bulldogs pulled their goalie in those final minutes.

Levi Wunder (21) had three points Saturday.

"I know that we ran out of gas a few times and didn't give our best performance today," McCarthy said. "But we came out of here with a win. They were relentless."

And so Escanaba made the long bus ride back to the Upper Peninsula having made history again: three wins in a tournament on three straight days.

"We had just enough to hang on," McCarthy said. "We got three wins down here, and that's very exciting."

"It feels good," Vandermissen said. "I haven't won a game down here before. So, I'm liking it."

Escanaba played for a second day without freshman Dylan Gauthier, who suffered a severe leg injury in Thursday night's game. Gauthier was still at the University of Michigan Hospital on Saturday, and underwent his first physical therapy session.

Nick Vandermissen gives Esky a 4-2 lead.

Gauthier will have another surgey to repair his leg on Tuesday. But while Gauthier wasn't at the rink Saturday, his jersey and helmet were.

Many of his teammates spoke with Gauthier over the phone as the team bus traveled north Saturday night. "He's having a rough time at the hospital I guess," Vandermissen said. "I wish that he could be out there."

Jake Eastin post-game interview.

The boys have a 17-3 record with five games left in the regular season. Two of those five games are against the Kingsford Flivvers, who also competed in Chelsea this weekend. Kingsford rallied from a 7-2 deficit on Saturday against White Lake Lakeland and settled for a 7-7 tie. Ted Pietila had four goals.

The game between Escanaba and Kingsford Tuesday night is scheduled for 7:00 at the Mountain View Ice Arena. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and it will be streamed on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos and videos, and to listen to radio replays and player interviews. Thanks to Luke Anthony for the videos and Tracy Pinar for the photos!

Game 20: Escanaba Eskymos 6, Chelsea Bulldogs 5

ESCANABA 0 5 1----6
CHELSEAH 1 1 3----5

First Period
CHL 1-0: Atchley (Ryan, Layher) 6:16

Second Period
CHL 2-0: Layher (Atchley) 1:45 PPG
ESC 1-2: Vandermissen 22 (unassisted) 3:20
ESC 2-2: Wunder 34 (unassisted) 6:34 SHG
ESC 3-2: Chaillier 5 (Vandermissen, Wunder) 10:00
ESC 4-2: Vandermissen 23 (Wunder, Eastin) 13:47 PPG
ESC 5-2: Eastin 20 (Chaillier) 16:34 PPG

Third Period
CHL 3-5: Daman (unassisted) 2:49
CHL 4-5: Daman (Carry, Dobberstein) 10:38
ESC 6-4: Eastin 21 (Wood, LeMire) 11:35
CHL 5-6: Ryan (Salgat) 16:03

Escanaba Penalties (9/26): McCarthy 2 holding; McCarthy 2 roughing; Vandermissen 2 cross-checking; Eastin 2 unsportsmanlike; Eastin 10 misconduct; Ritter 2 elbowing; Ritter 2 goaltender interference; McCarthy 2 cross-checking; Vandermissen 2 tripping.

Chelsea Penalties (6/12): Carry 2 interference; Sullivan 2 roughing; Ryan 2 boarding; Darr 2 tripping; Newman 2 high-sticking; Newman 2 high-sticking.

Power Plays: Chelsea 1/7; Escanaba 2/5.
Shots On Goal: Chelsea 9-12-8=29; Escanaba 9-19-9=37.
Three Stars: 1. Vandermissen, ESC; 2. Chaillier, ESC; 3. Eastin, ESC.

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