ALPENA---The Escanaba High School hockey team showed spurts of dominance in their season-opening game against the Alpena Wildcats Friday night. But the Wildcats were opportunistic, cashing in on several Eskymo mistakes in the third period to post a 2-1 win at Northern Lights Arena. The two teams will face off again Saturday afternoon.
After a scoreless two periods, the Eskymos earned a power play on the first shift of the third period. And on the next shift, Paul Carne passed D-to-D to Calvin Pinar, who threw one on goal. It was tipped in Colton Hayes, and Escanaba had a 1-0 lead.
The Eskymos appeared to have the Wildcats back on their heels for the next several shifts, as they nearly doubled their lead with a few Grade-A chances.
But Alpena goaltender Trevor McConnell stood his ground, and kept his team within one goal.
The Wildcats evened the score at the 4:58 mark of the third period when the Eskymos turned the puck over, and then got caught running around in their own zone. And Nick Esch scored the tying goal, with Dean Schamanski and Rhett Limback assisting.
And three minutes later, Escanaba's Gavin Schwalbach went to the penalty box for tripping.
The Eskymos nearly killed off the two minutes, but Esch was left all alone in front of goaltender Jack Valentine, and he scored again to make it 2-1, with four seconds left on the power play.
Schamanski and Limback drew assists on that goal as well.
The Eskymos pulled Valentine with 1:20 left ine the game, and their best chance to tie the contest was when Hayes won an offensive zone face-off, got the puck back to the defensemen, and the scrum was on in front of the goal. But McConnell kept it out.
Escanaba outshot Alpena, 26-20, but McConnell stopped 25 of those shots.
The two teams drop the puck again at 1:00 Saturday afternoon in Alpena.
You can hear the broadcast on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio interviews and replays.
The Eskymos appeared to have the Wildcats back on their heels for the next several shifts, as they nearly doubled their lead with a few Grade-A chances.
But Alpena goaltender Trevor McConnell stood his ground, and kept his team within one goal.
The Wildcats evened the score at the 4:58 mark of the third period when the Eskymos turned the puck over, and then got caught running around in their own zone. And Nick Esch scored the tying goal, with Dean Schamanski and Rhett Limback assisting.
Colton Hayes scores Escanaba goal.
The Eskymos nearly killed off the two minutes, but Esch was left all alone in front of goaltender Jack Valentine, and he scored again to make it 2-1, with four seconds left on the power play.
Schamanski and Limback drew assists on that goal as well.
Escanaba outshot Alpena, 26-20, but McConnell stopped 25 of those shots.
The two teams drop the puck again at 1:00 Saturday afternoon in Alpena.
You can hear the broadcast on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio interviews and replays.
