NEGAUNEE---Right from the start of Tuesday night's Regional Quarterfinal game between the Escanaba Eskymos and Negaunee Miners, Levi Wunder was ready to go.
Wunder, playing with a sore knee and other assorted ailments, shook them off and put on a show as the Eskymos eliminated the Miners, 8-0, at the Negaunee Ice Arena.
Wunder scored his team's first four goals, and after being shaken up in a second period colission, came back to score two more goals as the Eskymos outshot Negaunee, 53-7.
Yep, that's six goals in one game. And Wunder assisted on a Jake Eastin goal late in the second period to run his school-record totals to 48 goals and 84 points.
Escanaba Coach Tim McCarthy was obviously pleased with Wunder's double hat-trick. But he wasn't as thrilled with some of the other guys who just didn't have much energy.
"We've got to play a lot better come Thursday night," McCarthy said. "We talked about it after the game. I think some of them came in a little lax, which I wasn't too impressed with. But, we came out with a win, moved the puck well, got a lot of shots on goal."
Indeed. Negaunee goaltender Tony Moyle was under seige right from the opening faceoff, when Wunder scored his first goal just 28 seconds into the game. Escanaba outshot Negaunee, 27-1, in the first period, but led just 2-0 on a pair of Wunder goals.
"He made a lot of great saves, holy smokes!" McCarthy said of Moyle.
But Moyle couldn't stop Wunder, who scored six times, four of them top-shelf.
"He (Moyle) was sitting under the cross bar every time, which is nice to see as a coach," McCarthy said. "I was looking, like 'wow'. We gave Levi the puck and he did his job."
And Wunder noticed one weak spot in Moyle's otherwise stellar game.
"I think all of my goals, except one, or two, were glove-side," Wunder said.
Besides Wunder's six goals, Dominic Aos tallied his fourth career goal in the second period, and Eastin scored with two seconds left in the second period.
That goal happened after Nick Vandermissen pushed a faceoff forward as time wound down.
"We have that play, you know," Eastin said. "Nick always seems to win those, and we just throw it in front of the net and luckily, I was able to pound 'er in."
Escanaba goaltender Nick LeMire faced just seven shots in the 36 minutes of work. So what was he doing while the puck was at the other end of the ice all night?
"I just sit there, relax, and try to stay focused, I guess," LeMire said. "Just keep stretched out, keep the legs moving."
But the Eskymo players know they have to play better to keep this playoff run alive.
"We just didn't have the fire tonight," said Eastin, the team's captain. "We were slow."
Escanaba scored two power play goals, and the Eskymos scored shorthanded goals on both of Negaunee's power plays. The Miners finish the season with a 4-21 record.
So, the Eskymos (23-3) will face the Marquette Redmen (7-19) in the regional semifinal Thursday night at Lakeview Arena. When informed that Marquette had defeated Kingsford, 7-4, in Tuesday's other quarterfinal, McCarthy smiled.
"Perfect," he said. "That's fine. We knew we weren't playing in our house the whole time, so wherever we go, we have to bring our best game every time."
Wunder just smiled, too.
"We're coming for you," he said.
Thursday's game starts at 7:00. It wll be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The other regional semifinal pits Saginaw Heritage against Midland, Wednesday night. The winners play in Gaylord Saturday.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Lisa Dagenais, videos from Mike Dagenais, and audio highlights.
Wunder, playing with a sore knee and other assorted ailments, shook them off and put on a show as the Eskymos eliminated the Miners, 8-0, at the Negaunee Ice Arena.
Wunder scored his team's first four goals, and after being shaken up in a second period colission, came back to score two more goals as the Eskymos outshot Negaunee, 53-7.
Eskymo defenseman Jeff Lyle (11).
Escanaba Coach Tim McCarthy was obviously pleased with Wunder's double hat-trick. But he wasn't as thrilled with some of the other guys who just didn't have much energy.
"We've got to play a lot better come Thursday night," McCarthy said. "We talked about it after the game. I think some of them came in a little lax, which I wasn't too impressed with. But, we came out with a win, moved the puck well, got a lot of shots on goal."
Indeed. Negaunee goaltender Tony Moyle was under seige right from the opening faceoff, when Wunder scored his first goal just 28 seconds into the game. Escanaba outshot Negaunee, 27-1, in the first period, but led just 2-0 on a pair of Wunder goals.
Negaunee goalie Tony Moyle diving save
But Moyle couldn't stop Wunder, who scored six times, four of them top-shelf.
Negaunee goalie Tony Moyle diving save.
And Wunder noticed one weak spot in Moyle's otherwise stellar game.
"I think all of my goals, except one, or two, were glove-side," Wunder said.
Besides Wunder's six goals, Dominic Aos tallied his fourth career goal in the second period, and Eastin scored with two seconds left in the second period.
That goal happened after Nick Vandermissen pushed a faceoff forward as time wound down.
"We have that play, you know," Eastin said. "Nick always seems to win those, and we just throw it in front of the net and luckily, I was able to pound 'er in."
Escanaba goaltender Nick LeMire faced just seven shots in the 36 minutes of work. So what was he doing while the puck was at the other end of the ice all night?
Nicky LeMire and Negaunee's Nate Clisch (17) watch the puck in the corner.
But the Eskymo players know they have to play better to keep this playoff run alive.
"We just didn't have the fire tonight," said Eastin, the team's captain. "We were slow."
Escanaba scored two power play goals, and the Eskymos scored shorthanded goals on both of Negaunee's power plays. The Miners finish the season with a 4-21 record.
So, the Eskymos (23-3) will face the Marquette Redmen (7-19) in the regional semifinal Thursday night at Lakeview Arena. When informed that Marquette had defeated Kingsford, 7-4, in Tuesday's other quarterfinal, McCarthy smiled.
"Perfect," he said. "That's fine. We knew we weren't playing in our house the whole time, so wherever we go, we have to bring our best game every time."
Levi Wunder blasts one home.
"We're coming for you," he said.
Thursday's game starts at 7:00. It wll be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The other regional semifinal pits Saginaw Heritage against Midland, Wednesday night. The winners play in Gaylord Saturday.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Lisa Dagenais, videos from Mike Dagenais, and audio highlights.
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Game 26: Escanaba Eskymos 8, Negaunee Miners 0 ESCANABA 2 5 1----8 NEGAUNEE 0 0 0----0 First Period ESC 1-0: Wunder 43 (Pinar, Chaillier) 0:28 ESC 2-0: Wunder 44 (unassisted) 7:03 SHG Second Period ESC 3-0: Wunder 45 (Lyle) 5:20 ESC 4-0: Wunder 46 (unassisted) 8:46 ESC 5-0: Aos 4 (Myrick, Pinar) 12:27 ESC 6-0: Wunder 47 (Vandermissen) 14:37 SHG ESC 7-0: Eastin 28 (Wunder, Vandermissen) 16:57 PPG Third Period ESC 8-0: Wunder 48 (Vandermissen, Myrick) 1:19 PPG Escanaba Penalties (3/6): Aos 2 interference; Pinar 2 hooking; Lyle 2 roughing. Negaunee Penalties (6/20): A Ledford 2 head contact; A Ledford 10 misconduct; Ely 2 tripping; Clisch 2 cross-checking; Goupille 2 roughing; A Ledford 2 holding. Shots On Goal: Escanaba 27-24-2=53; Negaunee 1-6-0=7. Power Plays: Escanaba 2/4; Negaunee 0/2. Three Stars: 1. Wunder, ESC; 2. Moyle, NEG; 3. Eastin, ESC. |
A big pile-up in the Negaunee goal crease sees Eskymo freshman Hunter LaMarch (16) hit the deck.
