Houghton’s Taavi Rajala rushes the net as Brighton’s Harrison Fleming attempts to cover up the puck Friday at Dee Stadium. Brighton won 5-1.Daily (Mining Gazette/Bryce Derouin)

HOUGHTON — Fresh off a Holiday Classic title and riding a five-game win streak, the Houghton Gremlins appeared poised to set things in motion for win No. 6 against the Brighton Bulldogs.

Midway through the first period, tied at 0, Houghton sent Brighton junior goalie Harrison Fleming scrambling before firing a shot on net. But Fleming dove across the crease to make a sprawling save from his back to deflect the puck away.

The play highlighted Fleming’s athleticism and was the finest stop of his 26 saves in his team’s 5-1 win over Houghton Friday at Dee Stadium.

The win snapped Brighton’s three-game losing streak.

“He was big,” Brighton coach Paul Moggach said of Fleming. “Second period, (Houghton) had 11 shots and that was a big period for him. He got us through the major penalties without any damage. I thought he played well.”

The Gremlins were finally able to break through and beat Fleming when senior Taavi Rajala slapped home a rebound for a power-play goal 15:42 into the second period to cut Brighton’s lead to 2-1.

But just as it seemed that Houghton entered the locker room with the momentum, Brighton junior Jason Verhelle scored from the right circle just 1:14 into the third period to give the Bulldogs a two-goal advantage once again.

“You could definitely feel (the momentum) change right away,” Houghton coach Corey Markham said. “It was a backbreaker, but I thought we responded real well. We did a good job of getting pucks in deep, and we just really worked hard. That’s all I can ask.”

Houghton’s leading point-getter, senior Dawson McKay, was able to break free and generate multiple scoring chances later in the third period. But the shots either just missed their mark, or Fleming came up with the save.

An empty-net goal from senior Adam Conquest and another goal with just 3 seconds left in the game from junior Evan MacDonald accounted for the 5-1 final score in a game where both coaches agreed the scoreboard was not indicative of how competitive the contest was.

“I thought Dawson McKay had some quality chances that he didn’t convert on and a lot of times he does,” Markham said. “Any bounces, we could have had a tie game or it could have been in our favor, so I’m not disappointed in our effort or how he played. Just disappointed in the outcome … It’s not a 5-1 game whatsoever.”

Near the end of the first period, Brighton was whistled for a five-minute major for boarding. The Gremlins could not take advantage of the penalty, and after a scoreless opening period, they surrendered their first goal in three games when Brighton sophomore Will Jentz scored on the power play 3:11 into the second. Jentz made it 2-0 on another power-play goal, this time, off a deflection.

“He was going to the net and making plays at the net, and that’s usually the way it works,” Moggach said. “This was a big win for us. We came on the road, had some energy out there and made the plays when we had to. Great game, great pace and both teams worked hard.”

Next, Houghton hosts Novi at 1 p.m. today, while Brighton visits Calumet at 7 p.m.

– – –

Brighton 0 2 3 — 5

Houghton 0 1 0 — 1

First period

None

Second period

Brighton — Will Jentz (Sam Brennan, Adam Conquest), 3:11, 1-0

Brighton — Will Jentz (Brady MacDonald, Adam Conquest), 12:16, 2-0

Houghton — Taavi Rajala (Dawson McKay, Brendan Erickson), 14:42, 2-1

Third period

Brighton — Jason Verhelle (Caleb Seiter, Sam Brennan), 1:14, 3-1

Brighton — Adam Conquest (empty-net goal), 16:29, 4-1

Brighton — Evan MacDonald (Preston Carleton), 16:57, 5-1

Saves

Brighton: Harrison Fleming 8 11 7 — 26

Houghton: Will Stier 6 10 13 — 29

Penalties

Brighton: 2/7; Houghton: 2/8

Power plays

Brighton: 2/4; Houghton: 1/2