Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos taken by Sandre Allen, and to hear post-game comments from Coach Andy Johnson. Also clck the AUDIO buttons to hear player spotlight interviws with seniors Alex Schwalbach and Cale Carter.
ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School hockey team could not follow up on last Friday's emotional win over Marquette, as the Eskymos lost to the Painesdale-Jeffers Jets, 4-2, on Thanksgiving Eve at the Wells Sports Complex.
Brit Heinonen scored a hat trick, including the empty-net goal that sealed the win for the Jets in the final seconds. Jeffers has now beaten Escanaba three straight times.
Heinonen got the scoring started at the 4:35 mark of the first period when he knocked a rebound past Eskymo goaltender Cully Hayes. The Eskymos tied the game late in the first period when Davin Mattonen's point shot was tipped home by Keagan Braun.
In the second period, Hayes stopped a breakaway early in the period, and the Eskymos were able to kill off a hooking penalty taken by Carson Hughes. Hughes also received a ten-minute misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct and did not return.
The Eskymos had a golden chance to take the lead when Owen LaBonte came in on a breakaway, but he was stopped by Jets goaltender Kasen Helminen.
Escanaba had its best chance when two Jets went to the penalty box, giving the Eskymos a 5-on-3 power play for 1:24. They could not generate much offense on that power play, so the game stayed tied at 1-1.
Then, in the final two minutes of the second period, the Eskymos fell apart. Brenton Rajala won a faceoff in the Eskymo zone, and Brogan Turner deeked Hayes before tucking in the go-ahead goal with 1:49 left in the period.
Then, with 30 seconds left in the period, Heinonen was able to skate from the neutral one right in on Hayes, as two Eskymo defenders went out of position. He scored to give Jeffers a 3-1 lead entering the second intermission.
In the third period, the Eskymos came out with some fire. They outshot the Jets, 15-6, and Graham Johnson scored just 1:39 into the period to bring the Eskymos to within 3-2.
From there, it was a game of near-misses. Nick Martinson went in on a breakaway with 10:38 left but he shot it wide, off of the end boards. Jeffers had a breakaway of their own moments later that Hayes made a sprawling save on.
It came down to the final minute, and the Eskymos were unable to mount any pressure with the goaltender pulled. Heinonen completed his hat trick with the empty net goal with 23 seconds left on the clock, giving Jeffers its third straight win over Escanaba.
Jeffers ended up outshooting Escanaba, 33-32, with that empty-netter breaking the tie.
Escanaba (2-1-0) doesn't have much time to cry about the lost opportunity. The guys head to Traverse City for games Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Both will be broadcast live on FM-93.5 and AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
