ALPENA---A win is a win.
That is what Escanaba Hockey Coach Matt Hughes was saying Friday after his team blew a 4-0 lead but beat the Alpena Wildcats, 5-4, at the Northern Lights Arena. It was the first win for Hughes as a head coach, and it was sweet, even with the unneeded drama.
"We quit sticking with our system when we got up three, four-nothing," Hughes said. "The kids got careless and it showed. Alpena played hard, and they kept coming at us."
Derek Chaillier scored the game-winning goal with 2:51 left in overtime, saving the Eskymos from the embarrassment of losing a game that they were dominating.
"We just laid back and let them walk right over us, pretty much," said Chailler, who was irritated by his team's collapse even after scoring the winning goal. "When we get a lead like that, we've just got to keep pounding away at them."
"I think we got a little bit lax," Eskymo junior Levi Wunder said. "In the first period, we were up, and we thought that maybe we had the game. Obviously, that wasn't the case. Alpena came to play, and they showed it."
Escanaba started fast as Steve Wood scored 5:48 into the game.
Wunder jammed one home at the 12:15 mark, and then less than two minutes later, Wunder scored again...this one a top-shelf shot past goaltender Jesse Boilore.
Escanaba scored first in the second period as T.J. Myrick scored on the short side for a power play goal. The Eskymos led, 4-0, and were leading in shots on goal, 21-8.
But the Eskymos started to get careless with the puck, and the Wildcats began to chip away at their big deficit. Jared Plume got his team on the board at the 5:40 mark, and then less than two minutes later, Cole Cosbitt scored.
Both Alpena goals were off of Eskymo turnovers, and some unfortunate bounces of the puck in front of goaltender Nick LeMire.
Then late in the second period, Tait Froggett scored, bringing the Wildcats to within 4-3.
And then with 5:32 left in the third period, Cosbitt took advantage of an Eskymo turnover to tie the game at 4-4.
In the closing seconds, both teams had chance to win. Wunder had the game on his stick but was robbed by Boilore with nine seconds left.
Then Alpena's Jansen Saddler got the puck and went in on a breakaway. Nick LeMire made the save for the Eskymos.
"He played it very well," Hughes said. "You're trying to score and your 'D' sneaks into the high slot, and the puck gets chipped out and creates that odd-man rush."
And so, entering overtime, Hughes huddled his team.
"I told them that it all comes down to who wants it more," Hughes said. "Every shift, we were working hard and putting pucks on net. But kids were getting frustrated when the pucks weren't going in. We needed to focus again."
In overtime, Chaillier got the game-winner, with help from his defensive partners. Jeff Lyle held the puck in, Quintin McCarthy passed it, and Chailler scored the winner.
"Everyone came down in the corner," Chaillier said. "T.J. came out of the corner and made a beautiful pass right to me. I had time to look up. I picked my corner and just fired away."
"I think it barely made it over the goal line," Hughes said. "Just enough."
Escanaba (1-1) outshot Alpena (2-2), 41-30.
That gave LeMire 26 saves, and Boilore had 36 stops for the Wildcats. Many of which were difficult saves.
"Me and Levi were working the back door on him," Chaillier said. "He would just come out of nowhere and make the save. It was ridiculous."
"Jesse and I played together a bit this summer," Wunder said. "He was definitely on his game tonight, that's for sure."
Wunder had two goals and an assist, while Chaillier added a goal and two helpers.
The two teams will play again Saturday afternoon. Game time is 1:00. It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Todd Myrick, videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and listen to radio (audio) highlights and interviews from the game.
That is what Escanaba Hockey Coach Matt Hughes was saying Friday after his team blew a 4-0 lead but beat the Alpena Wildcats, 5-4, at the Northern Lights Arena. It was the first win for Hughes as a head coach, and it was sweet, even with the unneeded drama.
"We quit sticking with our system when we got up three, four-nothing," Hughes said. "The kids got careless and it showed. Alpena played hard, and they kept coming at us."
"We just laid back and let them walk right over us, pretty much," said Chailler, who was irritated by his team's collapse even after scoring the winning goal. "When we get a lead like that, we've just got to keep pounding away at them."
"I think we got a little bit lax," Eskymo junior Levi Wunder said. "In the first period, we were up, and we thought that maybe we had the game. Obviously, that wasn't the case. Alpena came to play, and they showed it."
Escanaba started fast as Steve Wood scored 5:48 into the game.
Levi Wunder Gives Escanaba a 3-0 lead.
Escanaba scored first in the second period as T.J. Myrick scored on the short side for a power play goal. The Eskymos led, 4-0, and were leading in shots on goal, 21-8.
But the Eskymos started to get careless with the puck, and the Wildcats began to chip away at their big deficit. Jared Plume got his team on the board at the 5:40 mark, and then less than two minutes later, Cole Cosbitt scored.
Then late in the second period, Tait Froggett scored, bringing the Wildcats to within 4-3.
And then with 5:32 left in the third period, Cosbitt took advantage of an Eskymo turnover to tie the game at 4-4.
In the closing seconds, both teams had chance to win. Wunder had the game on his stick but was robbed by Boilore with nine seconds left.
Then Alpena's Jansen Saddler got the puck and went in on a breakaway. Nick LeMire made the save for the Eskymos.
"He played it very well," Hughes said. "You're trying to score and your 'D' sneaks into the high slot, and the puck gets chipped out and creates that odd-man rush."
Derek Chailler Overtime Winner!
"I told them that it all comes down to who wants it more," Hughes said. "Every shift, we were working hard and putting pucks on net. But kids were getting frustrated when the pucks weren't going in. We needed to focus again."
In overtime, Chaillier got the game-winner, with help from his defensive partners. Jeff Lyle held the puck in, Quintin McCarthy passed it, and Chailler scored the winner.
"I think it barely made it over the goal line," Hughes said. "Just enough."
Escanaba (1-1) outshot Alpena (2-2), 41-30.
That gave LeMire 26 saves, and Boilore had 36 stops for the Wildcats. Many of which were difficult saves.
"Me and Levi were working the back door on him," Chaillier said. "He would just come out of nowhere and make the save. It was ridiculous."
"Jesse and I played together a bit this summer," Wunder said. "He was definitely on his game tonight, that's for sure."
Final Seconds of Third Period.
The two teams will play again Saturday afternoon. Game time is 1:00. It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Todd Myrick, videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and listen to radio (audio) highlights and interviews from the game.
