HOUGHTON - Hancock broke open a close game with four goals in the second period and went on to defeat Jeffers 9-2 in hockey action Monday night.
"I'm completely embarrassed," Jeffers coach David Bekkala said. "When you have a game like this, obviously, I didn't prepare them (the team) correctly.
"I pick a team of 15 skaters with three goalies. We're a team that plays as a team and to play with less than that we count on everybody. Whether you have 15 skaters, 12 skaters or six skaters you still have to have a good showing, and there were times tonight where I thought we controlled part of it (the game), but Hancock had their way with us."
The Jets had several key players miss the game. The lack of bodies hurt the Jets as the game wore on.
The Bulldogs led just 2-0 after an evenly-played opening 17 minutes. Trevor Givens and Zach Hill had the goals that put the Bulldogs in front by two heading to the decisive second.
The goal by Hill was his first of five on the night. He accounted for two of Hancock's four goals in the middle stanza.
He also assisted on both of the Bulldogs' other goals in the period. Alex Heinonen and Givens had the other goals that gave Hancock a 6-0 advantage heading to the third.
"The first period was a pretty even period and we came out in the second period and it was probably our best puck-moving period of the year," Hancock coach Dan Rouleau said. "We had some really pretty goals in that second period and I think the guys just kept getting more energy and more energy because they knew they were playing well and they just built off that."
The Jets tried to make a comeback early in the third period. A goal by Travis Therrian just 23 seconds in made it 6-1.
But the Bulldogs would score again to extend the margin back to six. Hill's fourth of the game put Hancock in front 7-1.
Hill would net his final goal of the game to close out the scoring at the 7:23 mark. He finished with a total of eight points.
"Anybody who can collect eight points in any hockey game, I don't care if your playing Mites or Squirts or whatever, that kid had an awesome night," Rouleau said of Hill. "Zach is one of our best passers.
"He has one of the best shots on the team, and he has good linemates. You're not going to rack up those kind of points without good linemates."
Therrian netted his second of the game to draw Jeffers back within five a second time at 7-2. But Brady Bekkala's goal just 34 seconds later pushed the lead back to six again.
