Marquette Redmen Hockey Advance in Playoffs, Beats Negaunee 4-0 on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1-99.9!

By Sabrina LaForais
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Updated: February 24, 2022

Marquette Redmen lineup for the National Anthem

Negaunee, MI – February 24th, 2022 – The Marquette Redmen faced the Negaunee Miners in the first playoff game of the season. They came out with the win as they beat the Miners 4-0 and advance in the playoffs. John Thomspen and Joe Gaffney had the call live on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1-99.9!

Marquette celebrates after first goal

1st Period: Marquette wins the opening draw and gives the offensive advantage to the Redmen. Immediatley Caleb Fries was able to fire off a rocket from the blue line but missed wide left. After 3:43 minutes of play, Negaunee gets put in the penalty box, giving the power play to Redmen. Nothing came of the power play as Negaunee picked up the penalty kill. Drew Dellies almost got the first point of the game by taking the puck into the lane but saved by Negaunee’s goalie, Ryan Kerkala. Negaunee go on a power play after a high stick call by Marquette’s Theo Adams with 12 minutes into the game. Anna Byczek receives her first shot on target during the Negaunee power play and saves it with ease. Negaunee’s first shot came 10 minutes into the game.

Brayden Grange came close to a goal by skating down and shooting the puck off a rebound save, only to be saved by Kerkala. Cody Moyer finally breaks the scoreless tie by rifling a shot on the top right corner and giving Marquette a 1-0 lead with only 3 minutes to play in the first period. Marquette would end the first quarter establishing clear dominance in time of possession, consistently attacking Negaunee’s defense. Negaunee’s Kerkala had a whopping 95.6% save rate in the first period as he deflected the barrage of shots by Marquette out shooting Negaunee 23-2.

End of 1st: Marquette 1, Negaunee 0

Redmen subbing out players

2nd Period: Marquette wins the draw at the start of the period. Theo Adams almost had an immediate goal when Owen Riipi shot the puck, rebound wight in front of Adams for an open net but missed just left. On the next Redmen attack, Grange scores Marquette’s second goal of the game by skating down and making it top left with 15 minutes left in the second period. Negaunee catches a fast break when the puck gets poked loose for the Miners to take the puck down for a 2v1. Byczek somehow ends up with the puck in her hands as what should’ve been a sure goal, ends up as 0 points for the Miners.

Negaunee goes on a second power play with 8 minutes to go in the period. Marquette would still somehow maintain their offensive pressure despite being a man down. Dellies had 2 sure shots get saved by Negaunee’s Kerkala with the crowd in disbelief. The Redmen kill the penalty without it making seem like Negaunee were on a power play and hoped to continue their assault with 6 minutes left. Marquette adds another point to their goal total when Joe Dimattia scores a shot off a Kerkala deflection, Adams making the play possible by disrupting the Negaunee defense. With 2:41 left in the period, Negaunee gets called on a major penalty with a late hit on Dimattia after the whistle, giving the Redmen a big opportunity to blow the game open. Marquette indeed brought the artillery but Negaunee held strong as they did not let Marquette score for the remainder of the period. Marquette starts the 3rd period on power play and out shooting Negaunee 22-4.

End of 2nd: Marquette 3, Negaunee 0

3rd Period: A pretty quiet open to the start of the last period as shots fired by Marquette and Negaunee couldn’t get on target. Marquette starts to build some offensive momentum with 11 minutes to go in the game when Dellies shoots a point blank shot in front of Kerkala but deflected by the Negaunee goalie. Marquette breaks the Negaunee’s defense as Riipi passes to a flying Cole Ranta, scoring from in front of Kerkala. Riipi made that goal possible by hitting Ranta skating down in stride.

Marquette finishes this game with ease as they comfortably keep the puck on offense with Negaunee only shooting 5 shots in the last period to Marquette’s 69. Negaunee junior Kerkala deserved more recognition as he kept Negaunee relatively close, saving 94% of shots in the game.

End of Game: Marquette 4, Negaunee 0

The Joe Boogren Player of the Game was awarded to the Redmen team as a whole for a group effort win.

Next Game: The Marquette Redmen will face the winner between Escanaba Eskymos and Kingsford Flivvers!

LISTEN TO THE FULL BROADCAST: MARQUETTE REDMEN VS NEGAUNEE MINERS