HANCOCK - The last time Hancock took to the ice, it had to overcome a four-goal deficit to defeat cross-canal rival Houghton in overtime.
The Bulldogs would need no such dramatics in their game with Jeffers on Friday night.
Hancock jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one and never trailed in a 6-2 victory over the Jets.
"It's good to be in games like that (against Houghton) where you have a really close game because it helps you at the end of the year, but it's kind of nice on a coach and the heart to have a four-goal spread," Hancock coach Dan Rouleau said. "We kind of controlled the game for the most part and things remained a little calmer."
Jeff Laux and Trevor Givens had the goals that put the Bulldogs up by two after one. Both goals were even-strength tallies.
Jeffers looked like it was back in the game when Dan Goldsworthy scored just 26 seconds into the second to trim the lead to 2-1. But the Bulldogs responded with three more goals to increase their advantage to 5-1.
Zach Hill's second goal of the period with just 1:12 left in the frame put Hancock in front by four. Hill and linemates Givens and Alex Heinonen combined for 10 points on the night for the Bulldogs.
"That line is tough to stop," Rouleau said of his No. 1 unit. "They move the puck. All three guys on the line can score.
"All three guys can set people up, so it's a great combination to have, but it was nice to get two goals out of the other two lines tonight."
Despite allowing four goals in the middle period, Jets goaltender Richard Yeshe did his best to keep his team in the game in the face of constant pressure. Yeshe, who finished with 28 saves, made 12 of those in the second period.
"I believe we should be competitive with everybody," Jeffers coach David Bekkala said. "I don't come out here thinking, 'Let's keep the game close.'
"We had a good weekend at Gaylord, I believe we should do that when we come back home. I thought we controlled most of the second period except for a couple little lapses.
"I thought our line of (David) Pollard and Bailey played really well."
Tyler Bailey scored with just 54 seconds left in the second to pull Jeffers back to within three (5-2), but Hancock goalie Devin Kero closed the door from there and the Jets would not score again.
Brett Lepisto added the final goal with just 49 seconds left in the third. Givens drew his fourth assist on the night on Lepisto's tally.
K.D. Warvie can be reached at kwarvie@ mininggazette.com.