Houghton’s Gaborik Carlson controls the puck during a game against Detroit Catholic Central Friday at the MIHL Showcase in Trenton. (Timothy Arrick/For the Gazette)

Gremlins defeat Lake Forest in shootout

TRENTON — Looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season, the No. 2 Houghton Gremlins needed a shootout to do it, as they defeated the Lake Forest Academy Caxys, 3-2.

The Caxys struck in the first minute of the game.

That lead held until the 13:45 mark of the middle frame when junior winger Cooper Leonard got the Gremlins on the board.

Houghton took their first lead of the weekend 10:23 into the third period when freshman winger Connor Arko found the net.

The Gremlins (21-1 overall) held the lead until the late stages of the third, when sophomore winger Jace DeForge was whistled for a major penalty for boarding with just 5:06 left in the contest.

The Caxys scored once during the power play, forcing the game into a shootout.

Shooting first for the Gremlins, alternate captain Landon Stevens waited for an opening, and when he found it, he roofed a wrister over the glove to give the Gremlins a goal.

Junior goaltender Bryant Lee stopped two Caxys shooters, setting up a chance for the Gremlins to seal the game if junior winger Michael Maillette could find the net. Maillette did just that with a wrist shot through the feet, earning the Gremlins the win.

Gremlins drop first game of season

TRENTON — Trailing 3-1 heading into the third period, the No. 2 Gremlins pulled within a goal of the No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks, but that was as close as they would get as they dropped their first game of the season 5-2 to the Shamrocks on Friday at the MIHL Showcase.

The Shamrocks scored just 30 seconds into the contest when Landon West struck with a wrist shot from the high slot that got past Gremlins goaltender Bryant Lee.

The Gremlins answered just 37 seconds later when DeForge crashed the net. Alternate captain Sully Rajala set up the play by making a smart chip along the left boards to push the puck into a place where DeForge could get to it.

In the second period, the Shamrocks got goals from Nolan Galda and Nate Grondzielski both found the net from out near the blue line.

Looking for a spark at the start of the third period while on the power play, the Gremlins got it when co-captain Gaborik Carlson poked a rebound home at 1:04. Arko took the initial shot on the play.

Brooks Rogowski regained the two-goal lead for the Shamrocks at 6:55. Galda put the game out of reach with another shot similar to his first one at 8:22.

Lee made 26 saves in the loss for the Gremlins.