Click the thumbnails above to see photos and videos taken by Micky LaMarch. Click tha AUDIO button to hear post-game comments from Hughes and Kolich, and listen to the broadcast of the third period with Jake LaFave and Zeke Strand. Also click to hear the player spotlight interview with brothers Jayger and Sawyer LaMarch.
ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School hockey team held on to beat the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils, 5-4, Wednesday night at the Wells Sports Complex. After the teams played to a 1-1 draw in the first two periods, the goals came in bunches in the third before Escanaba hung on.
"It was an ugly one, but we'll take it," Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes said. "We got some bad bounces toward the end of the third period, but our guys battled through it and we were able to put a few goals in the net ourselves, and finally able to get that first W."
ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School hockey team held on to beat the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils, 5-4, Wednesday night at the Wells Sports Complex. After the teams played to a 1-1 draw in the first two periods, the goals came in bunches in the third before Escanaba hung on.
Eskymo Captain Nick Kolich, who had two goals and two assists in the contest, agreed that the game was not the prettiest.
"It was an ugly win but it was our first win of the year so that's all that really matters," said Kolich, who was named the game's first star. "We had a good third period, but we need to play better. Once we got in the zone, I thought we were working it down low nice, and the goalie was letting up a lot of rebounds. If we went to the net, they were open."
Kolich opened the scoring for the Eskymos in the first period, and it turned out to be the only goal until the Blue Devils tied it on a power play goal by Nick Gerry off a Steven Allen pass.
"It was an ugly win but it was our first win of the year so that's all that really matters," said Kolich, who was named the game's first star. "We had a good third period, but we need to play better. Once we got in the zone, I thought we were working it down low nice, and the goalie was letting up a lot of rebounds. If we went to the net, they were open."
Kolich opened the scoring for the Eskymos in the first period, and it turned out to be the only goal until the Blue Devils tied it on a power play goal by Nick Gerry off a Steven Allen pass.
Things went crazy on the scoreboard in the third period.
Jayger LaMarch scored the Eskymos' first goal early in the third period, with Gunnar Bourdeau drawing the assist (and Kolich hitting the goal post). Then Kolich scored his second goal of the game to make it 3-1 Eskymo lead on a rebound off a Karson Krutina rush.
The Blue Devils weren't done. On the next shift, the Soo scored with Jack Swan making it 3-2 with 10:04 to play. Then a bad bounce did in Eskymo goaltender Dylan Ziemke and Nick Chicco got the tying goal with a shot off of a skate in front of the Eskymo net.
Escanaba regained the lead when Ayden Mylander scored to make it 4-3, then Karson Krutina scored an insurance goal with 4:34 left off an assist from Kolich.
The Blue Devils scored with 0.7 seconds left with Gerry pushing one in with the net empty at the other end.
Camben Labadie took the loss for the Blue Devils in net.
"I liked the way we put pucks in the net," Hughes said. "We went to the net hard. I think most of our goals were guys going to the net for rebounds.That's always a good thing. It's a hard place to go. You're getting slashed and hacked and hit. Guys don't like to go there too often but it paid off for us tonight."
Escanaba (1-3) travels to Hancock on Friday to face the Bulldogs, who skated to a 9-3 win in Escanaba in the season opener. The broadcast will start at just before 7:00 on WCHT-FM (93.5), WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600) and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Jayger LaMarch scored the Eskymos' first goal early in the third period, with Gunnar Bourdeau drawing the assist (and Kolich hitting the goal post). Then Kolich scored his second goal of the game to make it 3-1 Eskymo lead on a rebound off a Karson Krutina rush.
Escanaba regained the lead when Ayden Mylander scored to make it 4-3, then Karson Krutina scored an insurance goal with 4:34 left off an assist from Kolich.
The Blue Devils scored with 0.7 seconds left with Gerry pushing one in with the net empty at the other end.
Camben Labadie took the loss for the Blue Devils in net.
"I liked the way we put pucks in the net," Hughes said. "We went to the net hard. I think most of our goals were guys going to the net for rebounds.That's always a good thing. It's a hard place to go. You're getting slashed and hacked and hit. Guys don't like to go there too often but it paid off for us tonight."
Escanaba (1-3) travels to Hancock on Friday to face the Bulldogs, who skated to a 9-3 win in Escanaba in the season opener. The broadcast will start at just before 7:00 on WCHT-FM (93.5), WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600) and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
