Houghton’s Landon Stevens (13), Gaborik Carlson (8), Camden Markham (9), and Connor Raffaelli (17) celebrate a goal by Markham during a game against Brighton Friday at the Dee Stadium in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

Markham’s four goals lift Gremlins Friday

HOUGHTON — For the second straight game and the third time this season, No. 2 Houghton Gremlins co-captain Camden Markham earned himself top billing by scoring four goals, lifting his hockey team to a 6-0 victory over the visiting Brighton Bulldogs Friday night at the Dee Stadium.

For Markham, scoring as many goals as he has this year (24) has been a direct result of the way he and his linemates, co-captain Gaborik Carlson and alternate captain Landon Stevens, work together.

“I think, just honestly, my linemates, and teammates in general (are helping me),” he said. “I’m finding open ice, and they’re hitting me. I have time to shoot, and I’m finding the back of the net.”

The senior scored his team’s first four goals of the contest Friday, including one just 13 seconds into the second period, which seemed to push the Bulldogs to the brink. Markham attempted to get the puck across the slot to Stevens, who was ready to fire a shot from the left side, but the pass hit a Bulldogs defender and bounced in.

“I honestly, definitely, wasn’t trying to score there,” he said. “I saw Landon back door, so I just tried passing it to him. (It) hit off a skate and ended up in the back of the net.

“That was huge. I mean, 2-0, that’s not a great margin, but once you get that third one, I think we had all the momentum there. I think their sails kinda got blown out from underneath them. That was a huge goal.”

His fourth goal, which came on a wrister from the right circle at 7:03, sealed the win for the Gremlins. His father and coach Corey Markham was impressed with the effort his son had.

“He’s on a streak right now, boy,” Corey Markham said. “I mean, that’s his third four-goal game of the season. Obviously, one is just a fortunate balance, but a couple of nice shots. He came close to having a couple more.

“He’s just playing super strong right now and shooting the puck great.”

On the other end of the rink, the Bulldogs, who came into the night 8-3 on the year, suffered a very similar fate to another traditional power, the Hartland Eagles, did earlier this season. Coach Kurt Kivisto felt that his team, who had not played a game since Dec. 17, looked like a team that had not seen action in three weeks.

“We haven’t played in three weeks, so that’s probably a little bit of it,” he said. “We didn’t even touch the ice for two weeks over break, so it’s tough to come back and get your legs under us against one of the top teams in the state. That certainly plays a factor.”

The Bulldogs paraded to the penalty box, taking 10 penalties in the contest for 28 minutes, and putting the Gremlins on the power play eight times. Houghton scored on three of those chances, including the first goal of the game and the final two goals of the contest as well.

“We just have to be more composed and play our game,” said Kivisto. “We worry about too much other stuff, mistakes that are made, versus just playing hockey.”

Junior winger Michael Maillette scored the Gremlins’ fifth goal by crashing the net and knocking a loose puck from a shot from Carlson past Bulldogs goaltender Levi Pennala at 15:16.

Sophomore center Jay Halonen scored the Gremlins’ sixth goal at 15:58.

Markham’s first goal of the night came on the power play 8:30 in. He jumped on a rebound off a shot from Carlson to get the goal. His second goal came at even strength at 16:26 when he buried a rebound off a shot from Stevens.

The Gremlins controlled much of the third period, but did not put another goal past Pennala, who is the grandson of former Houghton teacher and coach Dan Junttila.

In the other net, junior goaltender Bryant Lee had his strongest performance as a Gremlin, making 21 saves to earn the shutout. No save was bigger than the one he made in the second period off the stick of Brighton forward Charlie Burchfield, who made a move in the slot to get around a Gremlins defender and then fired a wrist shot towards the corner of the net over Lee’s glove.

Corey Markham was very pleased to see Lee take a positive step with his effort.

“He was sharp right from the get go,” Corey Markham said. “He was engaged. I just thought he had a tremendous performance. They had a few good opportunities, and he closed the door. He didn’t give up big rebounds, and they, I think, hit one pipe late in the game, but not a ton of Grade A chances.

“He was really sharp, I thought. Really solid performance for Bryant, and that’s what we’re going to need going forward.”

Gremlins defeat Novi Saturday, 9-1

With two more goals from Camden Markham, and a five-goal third period, the Gremlins improved to 14-0 on the season with a 9-1 win over the Novi Wildcats Saturday at Dee Stadium.

Markham got the scoring started just 12 seconds into a major power play at 6:55 of the first period. While still on the advantage, Carlson added a goal at 9:03.

The Gremlins switched goaltenders to start the second period, giving senior Andrew Lampinen his first action of the season.

The Wildcats got one back 6:59 into the frame.

Maillette answered at 14:12. Stevens then scored at 16:10 to put Houghton up by three, 4-1.

Alternate captain Sully Rajala scored at 6:13 of the third. Markham struck at 7:02.

Freshman Jack Sayen scored at 13:43. Stevens added his second at 14:31. Maillette closed the scoring at 15:48.

Up next

Houghton returns to action Tuesday when they host Negaunee at Dee Stadium. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m.