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ALPENA---Jackson Goudreau made 28 saves to keep the Manistique Emeralds hockey team in the game, but the Emeralds lost to the Capital City Capitals, 4-1, Friday in Alpena.
Ajay Berger scored the only Emeralds goal late in the game.
"All in all, I thought we had a very good effort tonight from the kids," Manistique Coach Mike Evink said. "That's something we've really been working on, is playing within the structure of smart, simple hockey, and limit the mistakes that we make. We had a couple-minute breakdown against a really good team, and they capitalized."
Goudreau made save after save after save, keeping the game scoreless deep into the second period. But an Emeralds turnover at the wrong time in the second period led to a goal for Nolan Reiber on a 2-on-1 pass from Roman Barnes, and the Capitals had a 1-0 lad.
That's what the scoreboard said after two periods, even though the Capitals had 28 shots on goal to just eight for Manistique.
"Jack has been good for a number of years," Evink said. "I don't think he got to play much last year beacuse he was behind Alex (Noble, who now plays for the University of Michigan-Flint). He has earned his playing time this year, and he's doing the things that I've watched him do for a number of yeasrs now (in youth hockey)."
In the third period, though, things fell apart quickly.
The Capitals scored three goals in a span of 1:35. The first, by Aidan McGonigal, was on a back-door rebound after two Goudreau saves. That made it 2-0. Then, a mniute later, Andre Vanells scored, and then 31 seconds later, Will Tucker made it a 4-0 game.
The Emeralds broke the shutout with 4:38 left when Berger scored, assisted by Matthew Rahilly.
"I was really proud of how the kids battled back after we gave up a couple," Evink said. "They battled back, the effrort stayed there, so I'm really happy with this group of kids."
That goal was not enough to prevent Manistique's record to fall to 1-8-1 on the season. The Capitals, with kids on the team from several Lansing suburbs, are now 5-4-1.
ALPENA---Jackson Goudreau made 28 saves to keep the Manistique Emeralds hockey team in the game, but the Emeralds lost to the Capital City Capitals, 4-1, Friday in Alpena.
Ajay Berger scored the only Emeralds goal late in the game.
"All in all, I thought we had a very good effort tonight from the kids," Manistique Coach Mike Evink said. "That's something we've really been working on, is playing within the structure of smart, simple hockey, and limit the mistakes that we make. We had a couple-minute breakdown against a really good team, and they capitalized."

That's what the scoreboard said after two periods, even though the Capitals had 28 shots on goal to just eight for Manistique.
"Jack has been good for a number of years," Evink said. "I don't think he got to play much last year beacuse he was behind Alex (Noble, who now plays for the University of Michigan-Flint). He has earned his playing time this year, and he's doing the things that I've watched him do for a number of yeasrs now (in youth hockey)."
In the third period, though, things fell apart quickly.
The Capitals scored three goals in a span of 1:35. The first, by Aidan McGonigal, was on a back-door rebound after two Goudreau saves. That made it 2-0. Then, a mniute later, Andre Vanells scored, and then 31 seconds later, Will Tucker made it a 4-0 game.
The Emeralds broke the shutout with 4:38 left when Berger scored, assisted by Matthew Rahilly.
"I was really proud of how the kids battled back after we gave up a couple," Evink said. "They battled back, the effrort stayed there, so I'm really happy with this group of kids."
That goal was not enough to prevent Manistique's record to fall to 1-8-1 on the season. The Capitals, with kids on the team from several Lansing suburbs, are now 5-4-1.
