HOUGHTON — The Jeffers Jets hockey team came back from a goal down three different times in regulation, and then earned their one and only lead in overtime to defeat the Grandville Bulldogs, 4-3, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton Friday.

The Jets improved to 16-6-1 with the victory, snapping a three-game slide in the process.

Freshman forward Carson L’Esperance scored the game-winning goal at 7:55 of the extra session when he set up in the slot and took a pass from alternate captain Blake Heltunen and buried a wrist shot. The goal, L’Esperance’s sixth of the season, was also assisted by sophomore forward Max Nordstrom.

The Jets trailed 3-2 in the third period when junior forward Tage Rajala batted a rebound home at 12:11. The goal, Rajala’s eighth, was assisted by alternate captain Cameron Anderson and L’Esperance.

Grandville opened the scoring just 2:25 in when Luke DeBoer scored.

Jets co-captain Brogan Turner took a feed from Heltunen and beat Grandville goaltender Ayden Karas with a wrist shot at 3:15 to even things up. The goal was Turner’s 25th of the season.

The Bulldogs regained the lead at 13:37, when Chase Fitton scored an unassisted tally.

On the power play in the second period, senior defenseman Griffin Heinonen moved the puck from the left point to Heltunen on the right side. Heltunen wristed a shot through traffic that beat Karas at 3:58.

Owen Schroeder put the Bulldogs back on top with just 10 seconds remaining in the period.

Co-captain Kasen Helminen made 22 saves to earn the win for the Jets. Karas stopped 32 in the loss for Grandville.

Up next

The Jets are back in action Tuesday, Feb. 3, when they host the Kingsford Flivvers at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.