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Eggers notches game-winner for Voyageurs

By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent


ASHWAUBENON — Just when it looked like overtime was imminent, De Pere forward Charlie Eggers netted a goal, as De Pere defeated Bay Port 3-2 in a Fox River Classic Conference boys’ hockey game at the Cornerstone Community Ice Center Jan. 10.

“I thought we had a good start to the game and fell apart a bit in the middle,” said Eggers. “We stayed positive and didn’t want to go into an extra period. It was thrilling to push one past a great Bay Port goaltender.”

Marcus Niemi made 22 saves in net for Bay Port, while Jay Wenger stopped 23 for De Pere.

Only four penalties were called in the game.

It was the Pirates who got off to a flying start.

A little more than three minutes into the contest, while on the power play, Jay Ribar took a feed from Bryce Strand and slammed home the first goal of the night to give Bay Port an early 1-0 lead.

De Pere (8-5 overall, 2-1 FRCC) responded back less than three minutes later.

Tanner Newton danced around the blue line and sent in a cross to a cutting Grant Tritabaugh, who evened the game at one with 11:01 left in the first period.

Towards the end of the period, the Voyageurs got to Niemi again.

This time, it was leading scorer Grady Coppo who dished out an assist to Newton who went top-shelf to give De Pere a 2-1 lead after one.

Despite an even period with shots on goal, the Pirates (7-8, 2-2) dominated the second period with offensive attacks, as the Voyageurs were back on their heels for much of it.

Right out of the gate, Bay Port’s Jack Chilson tied the game at two with a slapper past Wenger.

“I didn’t like our execution in the second period,” said De Pere head coach J.P. Coppo. “It was disheartening at times, and we looked sluggish.”

Despite having multiple chances towards the end of the middle period, the Pirates couldn’t break the deadlock heading into the final period.

Halfway through the third, Bay Port’s Bryson Hyska hit the outside pipe, narrowly missing a goal.

With 62 seconds left in the contest, Tommy Vandelist sent in a puck from off the boards, which somehow made it through a congested defense, and Eggers was there to put the game-winner home.

“We have a team we feel like has talent to play with the top echelon teams,” added Coppo. “Those plays at the end where you see the hustle and willingness to work are very satisfying to our coaching staff.

Box score:

De Pere: 2, 0, 1—3

Bay Port: 1, 1, 0—2

Shots on goal:

De Pere: 10, 9, 6

Bay Port: 8, 10, 7

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