Calumet forward Nathan Londo skates in alone on the empty net on his way to a hat trick during a game against Houghton Friday at the Calumet Colosseum. (Paula Porter/For the Gazette)

CALUMET — Behind 27 saves from junior goaltender Beau Jukuri, and a hat trick from co-captain Nathan Londo, the Calumet Copper Kings hockey team earned their fifth win of the season with a 4-2 victory over the Houghton Gremlins.

With the win, the Copper Kings improved to 5-2-1 on the season while Houghton fell to 4-4-1.

Calumet broke through 5:36 into the game when junior forward Josh Asiala scored his first goal of the season. Junior defenseman Kaden Cronenworth got the puck to Asiala, who fired a shot from the left circle that seemed to surprise Gremlins goaltender Brycyn Nettell. Senior defenseman Sawyer Garrow also earned an assist on the shot, which was the Copper Kings’ first of the game.

Then Londo took over.

His first goal of the game came at 7:47 of the opening frame. Nettell stopped a shot from senior forward Ben Anderson, but the rebound bounced to Londo, who buried it.

Londo’s second tally came with just 1:14 in the third, and broke a 2-2 tie. He picked up the puck in the left circle and threw a shot at the net, and the puck found its way through Nettell, putting the Copper Kings in a position to win.

The Gremlins pulled Nettell shortly after the ensuing faceoff and they worked the puck deep multiple times before Calumet senior defenseman Dylan Crouch got to a loose puck along the right boards. He completed a clearing pass into the neutral zone to Londo, who skated in alone and deposited the puck into the empty net with 11 seconds remaining.

The Gremlins had several chances throughout the game to even things up. Their first good scoring chance came off the stick of captain Connor Arko five minutes into the game when he jumped on a rebound off a shot from defenseman Jake Matson. Arko had another good look about 7:37 in when he took a lead pass, skated around a Copper Kings defender, and tried to stuff one home, but Copper Kings goaltender Beau Jukuri was there to make the save.

Jukuri was tested multiple times in the early stages of the second period as the Gremlins drew a power play just 32 seconds into the period.

The two best chances came off the sticks of forwards Jack Sayen and Gage Gullstrand. Sayen fired one from the low right circle that Jukuri fought off, and Gullstrand had a chance from the slot, but his quick shot was also stopped.

Jukuri finished with six saves on the advantage.

Houghton continued to put pressure on Jukuri, who bent, but did not break. In all, he made 12 saves in the period, as opposed to just six by Nettell.

In the third period, the Gremlins finally broke through when forward Brody Donnelly poked a rebound past Jukuri at 7:47. Arko had the initial scoring chance on the play that created the rebound. Matson also earned an assist on the play.

Less than a minute later, the Gremlins had a very similar scoring chance, but this time Jukuri made the save. Forward Mason Soli followed that up less than a minute after that with a long shot from the left circle.

Houghton kept putting the pressure on and defenseman Cale Repp evened things at 12:02 with a long shot from the right point that found its way through. Forwards Calvin Rinkinen and Braden Kari both earned assists on the play.

Jukuri finished his night with 27 saves on 29 Houghton shots to earn the win. Nettell stopped 26 in the loss for the Gremlins.