CALUMET - Opposites have been attracted to Pullar Stadium for tonight's Division 3 hockey quarterfinal.

The Calumet Copper Kings, with another addition to their string of banners at the Colosseum already in the works, face the Cadillac Vikings, a team that claimed just its first regional title Saturday.

Calumet dominated the regional tournament at MacInnes Student Ice Arena, winning by 9-2, 6-2 and 7-0 scores.

"The bottom line is we're playing well at the right time," Calumet coach Jim Crawford said.

The Copper Kings (16-11-0) have built their reputation on physical play and heavy forechecking, which Crawford pointed to as a key to their success at the regionals.

"Our forechecking was exceptionally good, every game pretty much," he said.

Cadillac has faced a much rougher road to tonight's quarterfinal. The Vikings had to survive 3-2 on Will Badner's game-winning goal in a triple-overtime contest with last year's regional champ and Calumet conqueror, Big Rapids, in their pre-regional game.

Cadillac (20-4-1) then fended off Sault Ste. Marie's furious comeback from four goals down in the regional championship game at Gaylord to win 5-4.

"It's a great-looking team. They've got a couple of outstanding forwards and they're big too," Crawford said.

Cadillac's top line of seniors Badner, P.J. O'Hagan and sophomore Joey Gussert has provided the majority of its scoring, with O'Hagan recording 60-plus points. O'Hagan had a hat trick and an assist against the Blue Devils.

But where Calumet may find the biggest challenge is inside Cadillac's net: Senior goaltender Mike Boike, who has been offered a full scholarship to play Division I hockey at Ferris State.

Boike has a goals-against average under two and made 22 saves against Sault, which led Blue Devil coach Doug LaPrade to call him "the best goalie in the state."

The winner of tonight's quarterfinal will meet either Flint Kearsley or Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood in a semifinal Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at Compuware Arena in downstate Plymouth.

Brandon Veale can be reached at bveale@mininggazette.com.