WELLS----The Escanaba Eskymos scored early and often Tuesday night to rout the Negaunee Miners, 12-1, at the Wells Sports Complex.
Levi Wunder and Steve Wood both scored hat tricks, while Calvin Pinar scored twice and Derek Chaillier had a three-assist "playmaker".
"They came out flying," Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes said. "It was really fun to watch the boys tonight. They worked hard from top to bottom (of the lineup). Everyone got a shift, and after the first ten minutes or so, we started running all four lines."
This game will go down as a "stat-builder" for the Eskymos. Wunder had three goals and an assist.
Charlie Zuidema had a goal and three assists. Wood had three goals and an assist. Chaillier had four assists, all told. Pinar had two goals and three assists.
And others got in on the act, too. Quintin McCarthy had two assists, Jack Williams had a goal and an assist on that fourth line. And on "Gladstone Night", the two Braves players on the co-op team, Matt Casey and Blaine Borman, both had assists in the game.
Escanaba's fourth line of Borman, Dominic Aos, and Williams accounted for two goals, something that Hughes said surprised him.
"They impressed me," Hughes said. "They actually looked really well moving the puck around. It was surprising, and I was impressed the way they did it."
"I think that they're used to chasing it around during practice, killing penalties against our power play unit," Hughes continued. "I think that's a good thing for them to get out there, and it shows that they are paying attention in practice."
Senior Nick LeMire got the start on "Senior Night" and stopped all eight shots he faced in the opening period (Escanaba outshot Negaunee, 20-8, in that period).
Jack Valentine played the second period, allowing one goal on five shots.
Then, with the running clock in effect because of the mercy rule, LeMire came back in for the final seconds of the game. He barely made it out there for the face-off as time wound down.
"I wanted to get him in with 1:40 left," Hughes laughed. "But his stick was around the boards, and by the time he got it, they were already dropping the puck!"
LeMire says that it was emotional, playing in his final regular season home game.
"It was really awkward," LeMire said of the pre-game ceremony, which had dimmed lights and a spotlight on the senior skating a lap around the rink. "I mean, it's good to enjoy it, it's my last regular season (home) game, and it was really fun."
Wood, like LeMire, was wrapping up four-year Eskymo careers in this home game.
"It was emotional," said Wood, who was thinking about his stepdad, Terry Russell. Russell, a big supporter of Wood and the Eskymos, died last May 11, at the age of 54.
"I know he's still watching," Wood said. "It was a great way to end it (with a hat trick). I remember my first game here against Negaunee (as a freshman), and I scored in that one too. It's still just as great now as it was back then."
Wood was picked as the #1 star, with LeMire chosen as the #3 star. And in the middle at #2 was Chaillier, the team's emotional leader who wears the Captain's "C".
"We played great out there," Chaillier said. "We skated all over them."
The game was called after two periods of play. The final shots were 41-13 for the Eskymos.
Negaunee's only goal came off the stick of freshman Trevor Borlace. Escanaba led, 4-0, after the first period, and then scored eight more in the second.
"They really jumped to open ice and found open areas," Hughes said. "They communicated well. They were yelling for the puck. Everyone wanted to tough the puck. It was great to see them jumping into the ice, using the whole ice sheet."
The Eskymos improved to 13-6-3 on the season, and will head to the Copper Country this weekend for two more games in hostile territory.
First, the boys face Calumet in the Armory Friday night. Then, on Saturday, it's a battle in Hancock. "We just have to come out and play like we did today," Chaillier said.
Friday's broadcast from Calumet starts at 6:45 on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. Saturday's broadcast from Hancock is on WCHT-AM (600), and at rrnsports.com, starting at 12:45.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio replays and interviews.
Levi Wunder and Steve Wood both scored hat tricks, while Calvin Pinar scored twice and Derek Chaillier had a three-assist "playmaker".
This game will go down as a "stat-builder" for the Eskymos. Wunder had three goals and an assist.
Charlie Zuidema had a goal and three assists. Wood had three goals and an assist. Chaillier had four assists, all told. Pinar had two goals and three assists.
And others got in on the act, too. Quintin McCarthy had two assists, Jack Williams had a goal and an assist on that fourth line. And on "Gladstone Night", the two Braves players on the co-op team, Matt Casey and Blaine Borman, both had assists in the game.
Escanaba's fourth line of Borman, Dominic Aos, and Williams accounted for two goals, something that Hughes said surprised him.
Jack Williams goal makes it a 6-0 Eskymo lead.
"I think that they're used to chasing it around during practice, killing penalties against our power play unit," Hughes continued. "I think that's a good thing for them to get out there, and it shows that they are paying attention in practice."
Jack Valentine played the second period, allowing one goal on five shots.
Then, with the running clock in effect because of the mercy rule, LeMire came back in for the final seconds of the game. He barely made it out there for the face-off as time wound down.
"I wanted to get him in with 1:40 left," Hughes laughed. "But his stick was around the boards, and by the time he got it, they were already dropping the puck!"
LeMire says that it was emotional, playing in his final regular season home game.
Matt Casey Player Spotlight Interview
Wood, like LeMire, was wrapping up four-year Eskymo careers in this home game.
"It was emotional," said Wood, who was thinking about his stepdad, Terry Russell. Russell, a big supporter of Wood and the Eskymos, died last May 11, at the age of 54.
"I know he's still watching," Wood said. "It was a great way to end it (with a hat trick). I remember my first game here against Negaunee (as a freshman), and I scored in that one too. It's still just as great now as it was back then."
"We played great out there," Chaillier said. "We skated all over them."
The game was called after two periods of play. The final shots were 41-13 for the Eskymos.
Negaunee's only goal came off the stick of freshman Trevor Borlace. Escanaba led, 4-0, after the first period, and then scored eight more in the second.
"They really jumped to open ice and found open areas," Hughes said. "They communicated well. They were yelling for the puck. Everyone wanted to tough the puck. It was great to see them jumping into the ice, using the whole ice sheet."
Levi Wunder goal from Charlie Zuidema makes it an 11-1 Eskymo lead.
First, the boys face Calumet in the Armory Friday night. Then, on Saturday, it's a battle in Hancock. "We just have to come out and play like we did today," Chaillier said.
Friday's broadcast from Calumet starts at 6:45 on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. Saturday's broadcast from Hancock is on WCHT-AM (600), and at rrnsports.com, starting at 12:45.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio replays and interviews.
