A.M. Arrick/For the Gazette The Houghton Gremlins pose after winning the Division 3 state championship over Orchard Lake-St. Mary's Saturday at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. Pictured are Brycyn Nettell, Gage Gullstrand, Cale Repp, Wesley Mattila, Kade Jenkins, Jake Mattson, Calvin Rinkinen, Chad Halonen, Braden Kari, Porter Markham, Jack Sayen, Gunner Flachs, Noah Maillette, Brody Donnelly, Mason Soli, Max Aldrich, Liam Frick, Ian Hembroff, Connor Arko, Brendan Jukuri, Gunner Gullstrand, Lucas Mayra, and Cooper Flachs. They are coached by Micah Stipech, Rod Wakeham, Brent Peterson, Will Stier, and Andrew Lampinen.

PLYMOUTH — Just 29 seconds into the third period Saturday, it appeared that the Houghton Gremlins hockey team was about to take a 2-1 lead in the Division 3 state championship game against the Orchard Lake-St. Mary’s Eaglets when alternate captain Jack Sayen deked to his backhand and had goaltender Thomas Reeber down on his stomach. His backhand hit the crossbar.

Sayen did not miss four other scoring chances in the game, and he helped lead the Gremlins to their first state title since 1982 with a 5-2 victory at the USA Hockey Arena.

His coach was speechless after the game.

“It’s hard to put it into words,” said Gremlins coach Micah Stipech. “I just think of what it means to everybody, and all the teams that have come before us that have been close. The parents that drive the kids to the rink, their coaches in junior hockey, our school and community, it just means everything to be able to do this, represent them, and be able to get this one over the line.

“We’re so thrilled and grateful.”

Stipech joked that the team will have to change the locker room code now, since it was created as a reminder of how long it had been since Houghton last won a state title.

It almost didn’t happen.

Sayen, who already had a goal in the game, missed that chance to open the third period, and Stipech pulled him aside on the bench immediately.

“We always talk about, ‘Don’t miss out on the next moment because you’re thinking about the last one,'” Stipech said “That’s what I said, I just was like, ‘Next play, next chance you get, you’re burying it.'”

Sayen, who finished as the tournament Most Valuable Player, scored three times in the final frame.

The first came just 43 seconds after the Eaglets took their one and only lead at 2-1 just 2:33 into the third period. Sayen found a soft spot in the St. Mary’s defense, and he buried a pass from captain Connor Arko for the tying goal.

He was then credited with his hat trick goal at 5:44 when he joined alternate captain Noah Maillette for a 2-on-1. Maillette’s initial scoring chance was stopped. Sayen got a stick on the rebound, but could not knock it past Reeber. However, a defender trying to knock the puck away from Arko accidentally knocked it into his own net.

Sayen’s third goal of the third period, and fourth of the game, came after Arko attempted a wraparound. The initial shot was stopped, but the rebound bounced right to Sayen, who wristed it home at 13:27.

“I love him so much,” said Stipech. “I didn’t even realize he scored four until we got off the ice. He could have had a couple others that he missed, (but he) stuck with it.

“Jack has been one of the most coachable kids. I’ve pushed (him) for four years on things like going to the net, and being strong on a stick. He did it today. He’s the ultimate team guy. He leads by example, and it couldn’t happen to a better kid.”

Sayen’s first goal came on the power play in the first period. Sophomore forward Gunner Gullstrand made a play defensively and forced a turnover, which he promptly turned into a scoring chance the other way by feeding Arko the puck. Arko drove to the slot and fired a shot, and Sayen pounced on the rebound for a goal 4:07 into the game.

The Eaglets got a power play of their own in the second half of the first period, and they settled into the game at that point, hemming the Gremlins in their own end for entire shifts before the opening period came to an end.

Houghton controlled the early half of the second period, much like the first, but once St. Mary’s settled in, they turned a 12-5 shot deficit into a 12-9 one.

The best scoring chance Houghton had came off the stick of Arko with 7:18 left. He got behind the defense and tried to wrist one past Reeber. The rebound kicked out front to Maillette, who could not beat Reeber’s outstretched left leg.

The Eaglets pushed hard after that, and Thaddeus Raynish evened the game at 15:01 when he got a puck through Gremlins goaltender Cooper Flachs.

Dominic Pizzo put the Eaglets up 2-1 just 2:33 into the third when he scored on a wrister from the slot seven seconds into the advantage.

Arko scored the Gremlins’ fourth goal at 7:07 of the final frame. He got the puck at center ice and skated in with Maillette on a 2-on-1. Arko fed the puck to Maillette and then drove around the defender, only to get the puck back from Maillette. He wristed a shot past Reeber for the tally.

Reeber finished with 30 saves in the loss for the Eaglets. Flachs stopped 28 of 30 St. Mary’s shots to earn the win for the Gremlins.

Sophomore defenseman Wesley Mattila and Arko were both named to the All-Tournament Team from the Gremlins.

See more photos from Plymouth on page A6