HOUGHTON — The Dee was abuzz Friday night and had all the trappings of a rivalry hockey game.

The Gremlins had much to cheer for as their boys on the ice blanked the Bulldogs (10-12-1) with a 4-0 win in the schools’ annual Wing Ding game.

“Emotions were high, and it was an electric atmosphere,” said Houghton head coach Corey Markham. “We came out strong and played with some great intensity which was good to see.”

In one way the game was won in the first three minutes as Houghton (17-6) scored at the 14:30 mark of the first. In the end that was the only goal they needed. Number 13, Landon Stevens, was able to push a loose puck bouncing around in the crease into the net. It came in off the sticks of numbers 9 and 8, Camden Markham and Gaborik Carlson, respectively. Thirteen, 9 and 8 would end up being the winning combination on the night as this line would mix and match for the next three goals.

“The first line of Stevens, Markham and Carlson were on fire,” said their coach. “They had tons of energy and moved the puck well. They are clicking well and have been on a real offensive tear these past few games.”

Their second goal came on the power play off the stick of Markham with 4:00 left to go in the first. The Gremlins worked the zone and Marham took a pass from Kade Farrell and launched a bullet from the top of the far circle and past Hancock net minder Dan Wroblewski. It was 2-0 after one.

Hancock head coach Scott Mikesch even acknowledged the fire in the legs and sticks of Houghton’s first line.

“Houghton was firing on all cylinders tonight,” he said. Their top line was dominant.”

The Gremlins third goal came just 15 seconds into the second period. This time it was Carlson who was in the right spot at the right time and got a deflection of the goalie to find the back of the net.

“To get that third goal just seconds into the third was huge for us,” noted Markham.

He added that while his Gremlins could breathe a little easier with a 3-0 lead, they were not out of the woods yet.

“Hancock played very well,” he said. “We got the bounces here and there, and that made the difference. Bryant Lee in goal was tremendous and that was his first shut out.”

Lee stopped 20 shots by the Bulldogs while Wroblewski had 28 saves.

Houghton’s final goal technically came off a Bulldogs’ skate. Carlson snuck in and put a wrister on net which deflected off a defender’s skate that was clogging up the crease with just four minutes left in the second.

This week will wrap up regular-season play for both teams, and Markham is pleased with where his team is at.

“This is a great group of kids who work hard,” he said. “We need to work on our team defense better, but other than I thsink we just need to keep up the intensity.”

On the other bench, coach Mikesch said he hopes that Friday’s meeting at the Dee was the last between these two teams. Houghton won their first meeting against the Bulldogs early in the season as well.

“We need to find a way to slow them down if we end up seeing them in the playoffs,” he said.