Eskymos Rout Miners For Seventh Straight Victory

HOUGHTON----The Escanaba High School hockey team scored early and often Friday as the boys ran their win streak to seven games. The Eskymos whipped the Negaunee Miners, 9-0, at Michigan Tech University's Student Ice Arena.

It was Escanaba's second win over Negaunee this season, and it was the team's sixth straight win via the mercy rule. But the Eskymos were a bit sluggish early on.

Escanaba's Jake Eastin skates up-ice Friday night vs Negaunee at Michigan Tech.

"You want the guys to get a little quicker on the starts, and we're working on that," Eskymo Coach Tim McCarthy said. "But all in all, there was a lot of good passing going on. Our top two lines do what they do best, they moved the puck well and shared it."

Escanaba scored less than five minutes into the game as Ben Lasecki notched his fifth goal of the season. It was the Eskymos' fifth shorthanded goal as a team.

Just 88 seconds later, Nick Vandermissen found the back of the net, and then 35 seconds after he scored, Lasecki picked up his second goal of the period to make it a 3-0 game.

The goals just kept coming against an overwhelmed Negaunee goaltender Tony Moyle.

Levi Wunder scored at the 10:47 mark, and then Derek Chaillier scored a pretty goal off a beautiful pass from T.J. Myrick to make it 5-0.

Then, a highlight of the game as Brianna Belanger scored her first-ever high school goal. She also had an assist on the Chaillier goal, but she became the first girl in Eskymo Hockey history to score. Belanger didn't even celebrate the goal, she was so excited.

Escanaba's Ben Lasecki (4) faces off with Negaunee's Nate Clisch (17) Friday.

"I was nervous because I did't know if it was gonna make it or not," Belanger said. But what about the lack of celebration? "I didn't know I made it!"

"I was so shocked, I honestly didn't think it was going in," Myrick laughed. "I thought she whiffed, but it went in and it was nice. She didn't celebrate, she just stood there, and I was like 'come on Bri!'"

Myrick had two assists and worked the corners well on the big Michigan Tech ice sheet.

"I always like playing on these bigger rinks," Myrick said. "It gives a lot more room to skate, especially with my long legs. When you get your speed going, you can't stop. I'm playing with two freshmen right now, and it's nice to work them in there and get them the puck. That's what I was trying to do the majority of this game."

In the third period, Wunder scored 59 seconds in, and then he completed his hat trick at the 5:43 mark. Wunder now has 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 10 games.

Eskymo Dan Ritter (19) skates Friday night.

Freshman Hunter LaMarch scored his first-ever goal with a pretty backhander to close the scoring. Most of the second period was played on a running clock, and the game ended after the second period ended.

Escanaba outshot Negaunee, 40-7.

Vandermissen had a goal and a playmaker of three aassists, while Jeff Lyle and Matthew Casey each had two assists. Jack Valentine made seven saves in net for the Eskymos.

"You always want to get a low shot on the net," Casey said about his assists. "But if there's someone in the way, just look for the open pass in the corner. I think we started out a little slow, but we picked it up at the end and we really got 'er done."

Escanaba (8-2) faces Grand Blanc out of the Flint area Saturday afternoon at Michigan Tech. The Bobcats (3-5-2) lost to Paineadale-Jeffers, 3-1, in Friday's second game at MTU. Game time Saturday is 1:30. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600) and on-line at www.rrnsports.com, starting at 1:15 Eastern time.

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Game Ten: Escanaba Eskymos 9, Negaunee Miners 0

ESCANABA 6 3 X-----9
NEGAUNEE 0 0 X-----0

First Period
ESC 1-0: Lasecki 5 (Vandermissen) 4:47 SHG
ESC 2-0: Vandermissen 15 (Wunder) 6:15
ESC 3-0: Lasecki 6 (Eastin, Ritter) 6:50
ESC 4-0: Wunder 16 (Vandermissen, Lyle) 10:47
ESC 5-0: Chaillier 3 (Myrick, Belanger) 12:16
ESC 6-0: Belanger 1 (Myrick) 16:30

Second Period
ESC 7-0: Wunder 17 (Gauthier, Vandermissen) 0:59
ESC 8-0: Wunder 18 (Casey, Lyle) 5:32
ESC 9-0: LaMarch 1 (Aird, Casey) 11:42

Escanaba Penalties (1/2): Myrick 2, interference.
Negaunee Penalties (2/4): Jacobsen 2, boarding; Clisch 2, tripping.

Power Plays: Escanaba 0/2; Negaunee 0/1.
Shots on Goal: Escanaba 24-16=40; Negaunee 4-3=7.
Three Stars: 1. Myrick, ESC; 2. Belanger, ESC; 3. Casey, ESC.

Eskymo goaltender Jack Valentine threw another shutout Friday night at MTU.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

11/27	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	7 - 5 (W)	1-0

12/5	7:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	1 - 3 (L)	1-1

12/7	7:30 PM	at Macomb Dakota	0 - 8 (L)	1-2

12/8	12:45 PM	at Utica Eisenhower	4 - 1 (W)	2-2

12/14	8:15 PM	Tomahawk, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	3-2

12/15	2:15 PM	L'Anse Purple Hornets	9 - 1 (W)	4-2

12/18	7:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	5-2

12/28	8:15 PM	Monroe, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	6-2

12/29	2:00 PM	Painesdale-Jeffers Jets	9 - 1 (W)	7-2

1/4	6:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	8-2

1/5	1:30 PM	at Grand Blanc Bobcats	9 - 1 (W)	9-2

1/8	7:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	4 - 3 (W)	10-2

1/12	6:00 PM	at Calumet Copper Kings	2 - 5 (L)	10-3

1/15	7:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	3 - 1 (W)	11-3

1/26	7:00 PM	at Cheboygan Chiefs	8 - 0 (W)	12-3

2/1	7:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	9 - 2 (W)	13-3

2/2	1:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	6 - 4 (W)	14-3

2/7	8:00 PM	at Hartland Eagles	4 - 2 (W)	15-3

2/8	6:00 PM	at Rochester United	1 - 0 (W)	16-3

2/9	12:30 PM	at Chelsea Bulldogs	6 - 5 (W)	17-3

2/12	7:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	7 - 5 (W)	18-3

2/15	7:00 PM	Calumet Copper Kings	7 - 3 (W)	19-3

2/16	1:00 PM	Hancock Bulldogs	4 - 3 (W)	20-3

2/18	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	21-3

2/21	7:00 PM	Kingsford Flivvers	6 - 3 (W)	22-3

2/26	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	23-3

2/28	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	8 - 0 (W)	24-3

3/2	1:00 PM	Saginaw Heritage Hawks	1 - 2 (L)	24-4