Escanaba junior Keagan Braun (21) applies a hit to a Jeffers player during a game on Nov. 27, 2024 at Wells Sports Complex. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

WELLS –After falling behind 3-1 in the closing moments of the second period in Wednesday’s game against Jeffers, Escanaba hockey needed a massive push to improve to 3-0 on the season.

The Eskymos pushed back, but not hard enough in a 4-2 loss to the Jets.

“We’ll learn from this,” Esky coach Andy Johnson said. “It was a gut punch.”

Esky (2-1) needed 99 seconds in the third period to pull within one goal. Junior co-captain Graham Johnson beat Jets’ goaltender Kasen Helminen top shelf off assists from junior co-captain Nolan Bink and freshman Nick Martinson.

The push continued. The Eskymos spent plenty of time in the Jets’ end in the third period, placing 15 shots on goal in the final 17 minutes, but Helminen stood tall.

Andy Johnson opted to pull junior goalkeeper Cully Hayes, who stopped 29 of 32 shots he personally faced, with 43 seconds left in the game. Jeffers freshman Max Nordstrom buried the empty net goal 19 seconds later to slam the door shot on an Esky comeback.

However, the Eskymos had plenty of chances to capture momentum in the second period.

Esky carried a 1-1 tie into the first period after junior Keagan Braun deflected Davin Mattonen’s shot for a goal with 1:53 left in the first frame. Junior Owen LaBonte was credited with an assist on the goal.

But as the whistle blew to end the frame, Jets junior Griffin Heinonen was called for delay of game, jamming the puck into the boards with no desire of making a play. Esky was going to start the second period on the power play.

Then Bink was sent to the penalty box 15 seconds into the second period for cross checking. The power play opportunity morphed into a 4-on-4.

The Eskymos the had a golden opportunity later in the frame. Jeffers (4-0) committed back-to-back penalties, setting up a 5-on-3 for 1:24 of game time. Despite multiple opportunities, including a cross-ice play featuring Bink and Martinson missing my mere inches, the Eskymos walked away empty handed from the multi-man advantage.

The Jets ultimately buried two goals 74 seconds apart in the second stanza’s final two minutes to carry a two-goal lead at the break.

“We started getting selfish,” Andy Johnson said. “Guys were trying to take the team on their back and make selfish plays. It took us two periods to realize that.”

The Eskymos return to action during the TCW Thanksgiving Invite. Esky collides with Traverse City West at 7:30 p.m. Friday and with Traverse City Central at 1 p.m. Saturday.