Marquette Defense Shuts Down Wunder, Eskymos

WELLS---It wasn't that many years ago that the Marquette High School hockey program was known for its high-flying offense.

Blessed with All-State talent year after year, the Redmen could overwhlem many teams by peppering the opposing goalie with shots. The Redmen went through a couple of down years, and then last year, Doug Garrow took over as the program's head coach.

The former Northern Michigan University player started to mold the Redmen into a "defense first" team, and his players have responded, buying into the system.

Marquette posted its third straight shutout Tuesday, beating the Escanaba Eskymos, 2-0, at the Wells Sports Complex.

It was the first time this season that the Eskymos had not scored in a game, and it was the first time that the state's leading scorer, EHS senior captain Levi Wunder, did not make it onto the score sheet.

Brenden Shanahan scored late in the first period to break the scoreless tie, and Luke Schwemin roofed a shot on the power play late in the second period to make it 2-0.

Marquette takes 2-0 lead.

Marquette goaltender John Beckman stopped all 22 shots, including six off of Wunder's stick, to earn the shutout. The Redmen have now gone more than 171 minutes of hockey without allowing a goal, going back to the second period of the team's overtime win over Kingsford.

Marquette shut out both Macomb Dakota and Utica Eisenhower last weekend at the North/South Hockey Showcase in Traverse City.

Marquette has now allowed just 31 goals in 16 games played this season.

For the Eskymos, it was a frrustrating evening, as they controlled the puck for long stretches of the game, but could never get one by Beckman.

Marquette did a nice job of keeping the Eskymos to the outside, and when the scoring chances did happen in front of the Redman net, the shot either went wide or was blocked by a defenseman.

Wunder entered the game with 29 goals and 27 assists for 56 points, tied for most in the state with Jackson United's Matthew Stamler. But the Redmen played strong defense on him, and Wunder misfired on two point blank scoring chances early in the game.

At the other end of the ice, Jack Valentine stopped 14 of 16 shots for the Eskymos.

While Marquette improved to 12-4-0 on the season, Escanaba fell to 11-3-1. It was the first loss of the season on home ice this season for the Eskymos.

Escanaba returns to action Thursday night in Calumet against the Copper Kings. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Lisa Dagenais, and videos of the game's two goals by Mike Dagenais.