WELLS----The Escanaba Eskymos scored four unanswered goals to beat the Negaunee Miners, 5-2, Sunday evening at the Wells Sports Complex.
T.J. Myrick scored twice, while Steve Wood, Derek Chaillier, and Levi Wunder added single tallies as Escanaba won the Gil Versailles Dick Johnsen Memorial Tournament.
But Negaunee played much better than in the previous five match-ups with the Eskymos, including a 7-0 Esky win in Negaunee on Dec. 9.
And the Eskymos seemed to be going through the motions in this rare Sunday game...and turned the puck over far too much.
Add to the equation: Negaunee goaltender Tyler Riutta was stellar in net, diving all over the place to stop the Eskymos from building a big lead.
On one occassion, Riutta stopped a sure Hunter LaMarch tap-in goal with his helmet...as he laid on his side in the goal crease.
Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the first period as Levi Wunder won a face-off and just flung one to the net, beating Riutta up high. But Riutta stopped th other 19 shots in that period, and then in the second period, the Miners carried the play to the Eskymos.
First, Chad Larson picked up a loose puck and skated up the middle of the ice. Chaillier fell down, leading to a 2-on-1. Larson beat goaltender Jack Valentine to tie the game.
Then, six minutes later, Trevor Burlace walked out from the left-wing corner and threw one past Valentine on the short side. All of a sudden, Negaunee had a 2-1 lead.
The Eskymos got a big goal late in the second period as Wood pushed one past a fallen Riutta during a scramble in the goal crease.
So, it was 2-2 after 34 minutes of play.
Escanaba put the clamps on defensively in the third period, allowing the Miners just one shot on goal. And the Eskymos did just enough offensively to avoid being an upset victim.
Myrick scored from in close with 12:21 left in the game to make it 3-2.
It stayed a one-goal game until the final minutes.
That's when Chaillier got the puck at center ice, skated in, made a move, and roofed one over Riutta to put the game away with 2:03 left to play.
Myrick's empty-net goal made it a 5-2 final with 23 seconds left in the game.
It was Myrick's second goal of the game. Chaillier had a goal and two assists, and Wunder had a goal and assist. Valentine stopped 19 shots to get the win in the net.
Riutta stopped 44 of 48 shots and was picked the game's #1 star.
The game was almost penalty-free, with the Miners getting called for just one penalty and the Eskymos being whistled only three times.
Escanaba improved to 7-3-0 on the season. Negaunee fell to 2-8-1.
The Eskymos travel to the Copper Country after the New Year's holiday. Escanaba will compete in the Jeffers New Year's Showcase on the campus of Michigan Tech University.
Escanaba will open up the tournament against Cheboygan Friday night, and then the boys will play Grand Blanc from the Flint area of Lower Michigan on Saturday.
Friday's game starts at 6:30 and will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Saturday's game starts at 12:30 and will be broadcast on AM-600 and at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see more photos and videos from the game, taken by Mary and Taylor Gauthier. Also listen to more radio highlights and Jeffry Lyle's player spotlight interview.
T.J. Myrick scored twice, while Steve Wood, Derek Chaillier, and Levi Wunder added single tallies as Escanaba won the Gil Versailles Dick Johnsen Memorial Tournament.
Jack Williams (6) goes for a loose puck along with Miner Cody Wetton (18) and teammate Dominic Aos (22) durning Sunday's game.
And the Eskymos seemed to be going through the motions in this rare Sunday game...and turned the puck over far too much.
Add to the equation: Negaunee goaltender Tyler Riutta was stellar in net, diving all over the place to stop the Eskymos from building a big lead.
On one occassion, Riutta stopped a sure Hunter LaMarch tap-in goal with his helmet...as he laid on his side in the goal crease.
Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the first period as Levi Wunder won a face-off and just flung one to the net, beating Riutta up high. But Riutta stopped th other 19 shots in that period, and then in the second period, the Miners carried the play to the Eskymos.
Negaunee's Chad Larson ties the game.
Then, six minutes later, Trevor Burlace walked out from the left-wing corner and threw one past Valentine on the short side. All of a sudden, Negaunee had a 2-1 lead.
Derek Chaillier carries the puck on Sunday.
So, it was 2-2 after 34 minutes of play.
Escanaba put the clamps on defensively in the third period, allowing the Miners just one shot on goal. And the Eskymos did just enough offensively to avoid being an upset victim.
Myrick scored from in close with 12:21 left in the game to make it 3-2.
It stayed a one-goal game until the final minutes.
That's when Chaillier got the puck at center ice, skated in, made a move, and roofed one over Riutta to put the game away with 2:03 left to play.
Myrick's empty-net goal made it a 5-2 final with 23 seconds left in the game.
Derek Chaillier top-shelf goal seals Eskymo win
Riutta stopped 44 of 48 shots and was picked the game's #1 star.
The game was almost penalty-free, with the Miners getting called for just one penalty and the Eskymos being whistled only three times.
Escanaba's Dan Ritter (19) faces off with Negaunee's Mike Farley (8) Sunday night.
The Eskymos travel to the Copper Country after the New Year's holiday. Escanaba will compete in the Jeffers New Year's Showcase on the campus of Michigan Tech University.
Escanaba will open up the tournament against Cheboygan Friday night, and then the boys will play Grand Blanc from the Flint area of Lower Michigan on Saturday.
Friday's game starts at 6:30 and will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Saturday's game starts at 12:30 and will be broadcast on AM-600 and at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see more photos and videos from the game, taken by Mary and Taylor Gauthier. Also listen to more radio highlights and Jeffry Lyle's player spotlight interview.
Escanaba's Hunter LaMarch (16) is buried in the Negaunee goal crease on Sunday. (Mary Gauthier photo)
