Houghton goaltender Bryant Lee tracks a puck during a game against Detroit Catholic Central last season at the MIHL Showcase in Trenton. The Gremlins lost to the Shamrocks Friday. (Tim Arrick/For the Gazette)

TRENTON — A battle between two of the top three high school hockey teams in the state of Michigan was almost as even as possible for all 51 minutes as the No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks came away with a 2-1 win over the No. 3 Houghton Gremlins Friday night at the MIHL Showcase in Trenton.

Looking to avenge a 5-2 loss to the Shamrocks a year ago, Houghton threw everything it could at Detroit Catholic Central, but even with senior goaltender Bryant Lee pulled for the extra attacker with 1:25 left in regulation, the Gremlins could not find the equalizer, even with sophomore center Jack Sayen getting a golden opportunity with just over 12 seconds left.

Gremlins coach Micah Stipech loved the effort he got from his team, which dropped to 19-1-1 after suffering its first loss of the season.

Trailing 1-0 in the second period, the Gremlins were able to even things up 5:35 in when junior center Jay Halonen found the back of the net. The goal was set up by hard work from sophomore winger Connor Arko, who jumped in on the forecheck and then fed the puck out front where Halonen was, and he quickly one-timed it home.

Prior to the goal, senior defenseman Connor Raffaelli had a great chance after driving through the Shamrocks’ defense, but he was stopped.

Not long after their goal, Houghton had 1:40 of a two-man power play. However, they were unable to find a way to get anything past Shamrocks goaltender Mathieu Chernauckas before the advantage came to an end.

The Shamrocks were able to regain their one-goal lead with 3:09 left in the period, thus taking a 2-1 lead into the third. Forward Brooks Rogowski scored what later stood as the game-winning goal when he buried a one-timed a shot from the right point that was actually going wide of the net and the puck hopped over Lee’s right leg pad.

In the third, Catholic Central did a good job of pinning the Gremlins in their own end. Lee was tested just over three and a half minutes in when defenseman Jackson Hare got loose and fired a shot from the slot.

Shamrocks forward Joe Sievert had a chance of his own at 7:16, but again Lee was there to make the stop. Forward Jackson Walsh had a chance off the rush about 50 seconds later, but again Lee was there to make the save.

Houghton finally got something going of their own when sophomore winger Noah Maillette found some time and space in front, but his tip off a shot from the right point just bounced wide of the net.

Catholic Central had three more good looks that Lee stopped, including a pair in close from forward Cael Rogowski with no one getting in between him and the goalkeeper with 2:13 left.

At the other end of the rink, senior center Michael Maillette had a look in close with junior winger Jace DeForge right next to him, but Maillette’s look from the right side of the slot was stopped. DeForge could not quite get to a rebound.

The Shamrocks scored their first goal of the game with just 0.2 seconds left in the first period when forward Nolan Golda buried a second rebound that kicked out to him.

Lee finished with 11 saves in the third period, and 31 in the contest. Chernauckas made 20 saves for the Shamrocks.

OTHER SCORES

Hancock topped Forest Hills Northern-Eastern, 4-0, Friday morning. Alternate captain Max Heinonen was named Hancock’s most valuable player for the game. Calumet fell to Bay City, 5-1.