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Esky icers don’t mind road

Mike Mattson | Daily Press Escanaba’s Colton Hayes (22) enters the Calumet zone with the puck as the Copper Kings’ Trevor Johnson (17) and Trevor Salata (16) defend in a recent game at the Hannahville Ice & Turf Complex.

ESCANABA — Home ice doesn’t appear to matter to the Escanaba and Marquette hockey teams this season.

Consider Escanaba won at Marquette 1-0 and Marquette won 2-1 at Escanaba. Esky coach Matt Hughes doesn’t mind the pattern, especially since the Eskymos (11-14) travel to Marquette (14-8-2) Tuesday for a Division II pre-regional game at 7 p.m. in Lakeview Arena.

“We are very evenly matched and obviously that shows in the scores,” Hughes said after practice this week. “We’re both going to play hard. It’s always a good close game against Marquette the last couple of years.

“Hopefully, we have the advantage. We beat them up there and we have to go up there for the regional so maybe that will be our good luck charm.”

Indeed, a lot is at stake for these two U.P. rivals.

Hughes said the Eskymos have to play smart in another pressure-packed contest.

“We have to contain their good players, keep them outside and not allow them to be on the power play,” said Hughes, whose team lost to Marquette at home in last year’s regional. “We have to finish, we have to capitalize. It’s the playoffs and you have to capitalize on your chances because they are few and far between.”

Esky hopes to play good defense in front of junior goalie Brodie Goddard, who was a force between the pipes with the shutout against Marquette.

“Brodie had a heck of a game up there against Marquette,” Hughes said. “It was 1-0 and I think he turned away 34 shots. Hopefully, we can repeat that.”

Goddard enters the regional with a 3.0 goals against average and .87 save percentage.

Senior Garth Wickham leads the Esky offense with a team-high 33 points (24 goals, 9 assists).

Captain Chris LeMire (11 goals, 15 assists), Colton Hayes (9 goals, 10 assists) and Parker LaMarch (4 goals, 10 assists) are other key scoring threats for the Eskymos.

Esky will get a boost from the return of junior defenseman Hayden Haslow, who missed the last six games due to an upper body injury. He’s the top-scoring defenseman with two goals and seven assists.

“Hayden missed the last third of the season,” Hughes said. “He’s been working hard to get back and I think it will be beneficial to have him back.”

Hughes said the Eskymos are ready for the regional after playing a challenging schedule. They also overcame a slow start following the extended football season that ended in the regional finals at Grand Rapids Catholic Central.

Esky captured the PuckJam Holiday Classic title in Milwaukee in one of the season highlights.

The Eskymos finished 1-2 at the downstate Chelsea Showcase, beating Woodhaven and losing to Plymouth Salem and Muskegon Mona Shores.

Esky finished the regular season with three straight losses to state-ranked Sault Ste. Marie, Calumet and Hancock, but Hughes thinks that run against tough competition will pay off in the regional.

“Brodie made some big saves over the weekend against Calumet and Hancock,” Hughes said. “They have some guys who can put the puck in the net. Hopefully, that will carry into the playoffs.”

Kingsford and Negaunee will play a pre-regional Tuesday and travel to the Esky-Marquette winner Thursday. The regional final will be played Saturday in Gaylord.

Some of the veteran players helped Esky advance to the state semifinals in 2015. Hughes hopes the Eskymos can embark on another magical run, starting Tuesday in Marquette.

“Both teams are playing really good hockey right now,” Hughes said. “It will be a battle right to the end.

“We need to grind out each game because there is no tomorrow. These boys know that. They know what it takes to get down there. Hopefully we can put three periods of hockey together and come out with a W.”

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