The Houghton Gremlins hockey team dropped a 5-3 decision Friday at Dee Stadium to the Marquette Sentinels. Saturday, the two teams met in Marquette at Lakeview Arena with the Gremlins emerging with a 6-0 shutout win.

Houghton improved to 3-2-1 on the season with the split.

Gremlins fall on Friday

HOUGHTON — The Gremlins gave up three first-period goals and struggled to recover from that start in a 5-3 loss Friday to the Sentinels.

Seth Sandstrom opened the scoring for Marquette just 1:57 into the contest. Jack Pond scored just 14 seconds later to put the visitors up 2-0.

Jameson Sandstrom then gave Marquette a 3-0 lead on the power play at 5:26.

Looking for a spark, Houghton got one from Wesley Mattila with 5:14 left in the opening frame. Connor Arko picked up an assist on the tally.

In the second period, Pond regained the three-goal lead for the Sentinels with a goal at 8:53.

Skyler Blackburn put Marquette up 5-1 in the third when he struck at 7:31.

Houghton scored twice in the game’s final 5:13. Porter Markham scored first on a feed from Arko. Then, with 12 seconds left, Noah Mailllette found the net. Arko picked up his third assist on the play.

Cooper Flachs made 16 saves in the loss.

Gremlins score four in the third to win

MARQUETTE — The Gremlins struck twice in the first, then four times in the third to earn a 6-0 win.

Maillette scored 5:07 into the game to set the tone. Arko picked up his fourth assist of the weekend on the goal. He added another goal 3:42 into the third period with Arko and Brody Donnelly assisting.

Then, he scored his hat trick goal at 4:59 of the period. Arko picked up yet another assist on the tally.

Arko scored two goals of his own. The first came on the power play at 10:11 of the opening frame. The second came 7:06 into the third with Donnelly and Mailllette picking up assists.

Braden Kari capped the scoring with six minutes left in the game. Markham picked up an assist on the play.

Flachs stopped all 12 shots he faced to earn the shutout and the win.