MARQUETTE---The Houghton Gremlins and Marquette Sentinels battled to a 0-0 tie after two periods of play in a MHSAA Division Three state quarterfinal game Saturday night at the Northern Michigan University Berry Events Center.
But the Gremlins finally broke through in the third period, and earned a 4-0 victory over the Sentinels. The win sends Houghton to the state semifinals in downstate Plymouth.
It was a tight defensive battle, with only 35 shots on goal between the two teams all night long (22 by Houghton). Finally, 2:29 into the third period, Gunner Gullstrand put the Gremlins on the scoreboard, assisted by Gunner Flachs and Braden Kari.
Just over one minute later, Houghton scored again, on a Connor Arko shot, and then Noah Maillette scored his first playoff goal with 4:54 left in the game to make it a 3-0 game. Porter Markham scored an empty net goal with 1:16 left to seal the game.
Cooper Flachs stopped all 13 shots he faced to earn the shutout victory.
Parker Nevenhoven made 18 saves in a losing effort for Marquette.
Marquette finishes its season with a 19-8-3 record and a regional championship.
Houghton (23-6-1) advances to the state final four at the USA Hockey Arena in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth.
The other semifinalists are the Bay Area Reps, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, and Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett.
The MHSAA will soon announce the semifinal match-ups.
