The Negaunee Miners’ Trevor Borlace, left, shoots the puck into the net for one of his four goals against L’Anse netminder Craig Mantila during the first period on Thursday night at Negaunee Ice Arena. (Journal photo by Rachel Oakley)

“I love it here and it’s my last season, so I want to make it a good one.” — TREVOR BORLACE, senior, Negaunee High School hockey

NEGAUNEE — Last season was a rough one for the Negaunee High School hockey team, but after Thursday’s game against L’Anse, it’s clear that the Miners have put it behind them.

The Miners (3-1) scored just three minutes into the game and they never looked back as they dumped the Purple Hornets 8-3. Negaunee also heavily outshot L’Anse 66-37 as Miners senior Trevor Borlace netted four goals.

“You’re never expecting eight goals against a team like L’Anse, so I’m happy,” Negaunee head coach Josh Chapman said. “It’s a good start to the year and Trevor had a big night. That isn’t very common, so he played great. I think he had something to prove. He really showed it tonight.”

Borlace played for several years with Negaunee before joining with the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Ironwood Fighting Yoopers. He then decided to come back for his final season with the Miners.

“I really wanted to help the team tonight,” he said. “I’ve lived in Negaunee my whole life and then I went to play junior hockey with 20-year-olds. Then I decided to come back and help the high school team out. I love it here and it’s my last season, so I want to make it a good one.”

The Miners rolled from the opening puck drop as they peppered L’Anse goalie Craig Mantila with shots.

Borlace broke through first and got the Miners on the board after collecting a loose puck in front and tapping it into the net.

The Hornets answered quickly, though. Ethan Pattison stole the puck at the Negaunee blue line and beat Miners goalie Preston Maki five-hole to tie the game 1-1.

Borlace re-established Negaunee’s lead with a power play goal at the 9:43 mark, but L’Anse pulled even again just a little more than a minute later when Tyler Fish’s shot from the blue line was deflected into the net by Jonathan Mantila.

The Miners got the advantage back for the third time at the 13:33 mark when Shane Ring tapped a rebound past a prone Mantila. Though the Hornets protested as the net was off its moorings, the goal stood.

A little more than a minute later, Negaunee padded its lead to two goals when on a delayed penalty, Erik Voskuhl put in a loose puck in front of the net and the Miners went into the break up 4-2.

Borlace made it a three-goal lead early in the second period thanks to a nice individual effort. He collected a puck at the L’Anse blue line, faked out Mantila and beat him to the far post.

The Purple Hornets weren’t done, though. Pattison picked up his second goal of the night when he picked off a pass and beat Maki five-hole on a shot from the point for a 5-3 game.

But that’s all the Hornets could manage. Miner Peyton Anderson scored three minutes later on a highlight-reel goal. He gathered the puck at center ice, weaved around two defenders and tucked it just between Mantila’s legs. With two seconds left in the second, Borlace racked up his fourth goal on a nice backhand shot and Negaunee led by four.

“Trevor works on his hands in the offseason and he makes his teammates around him better,” Chapman said. “In practice, he puts in the work and it shows.”

The Miners then capped off their big offensive night toward the end of the game when Anderson’s backhand attempt deflected off the pipe and into the net.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal. net.