Jeffers forward Brogan Turner drives up the ice with the puck during the first period of a game against Marquette Tuesday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — It wasn’t the cleanest win the Jeffers Jets hockey has had all season, but their 14th might be their most memorable for several reasons as the Jets topped the Marquette Sentinels, 3-2, in a game Tuesday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Jets coach Aaron Helminen called the win a “learning experience,” which is interesting for a game where the Jets thrice led by a goal, but only the last one held up.

“Love it, love it, love it, as far as the way that game went,” he said. “(A) tight game just challenges the kids to make strong, hard plays, the right play, be on the right side of the puck.

“(I am) just extremely proud of the kids, the way they responded, and were able to close out a game. I think that goes towards our schedule early on in the season, playing tough competition. (The) kids are learning and growing from there.”

Co-captain Brogan Turner broke a 2-2 tie in the third period while on an odd-man rush. He attempted to feed the puck to the middle of the slot where senior forward Cameron Anderson was, but a Sentinels defender blocked the pass. Fortunately for the Jets, the puck deflected towards the net and through Marquette goaltender Parker Nevenhoven at 5:52.

“You have to have puck luck,” said Aaron Helminen. “That’s just the game, the way the game is. Sometimes you get the bounces, sometimes you don’t. We’re extremely happy that they bounced our way tonight.”

The Jets, who improved to 14-3-1 on the season, wanted to get off to a good start, but instead they found themselves on their heels more than they are used to. That started to change when Turner carried the puck through the neutral zone and got his team’s first shot on goal. That play, while it did not end up in a goal, helped spark a sequence a few shifts later when the Jets got the game’s first power play.

While on the advantage, Turner got the puck in the right circle and tried to drive the slot to fire a wrist shot. The shot was blocked and he was knocked down. The puck bounced to alternate captain Blake Heltunen, who quickly fired off a shot that was also blocked. This time the puck bounced to sophomore forward Max Nordstrom, who buried a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season at 7:31.

“At the end of the day, they all count, right? You don’t get any extra tallies on the board for pretty ones,” said Helminen. “So, extremely happy that Max supported the puck and followed up.

“We knew we’d have to get some grind-out, some gritty goals, and have some dirty goals. That’s a good goaltender, a big guy on the other side. So, extremely happy that the bounces went our way.”

That lead held for nearly eight minutes, despite strong play from the Sentinels (9-5-1 overall), who remained undeterred by the efforts of Jets co-captain Kasen Helminen in net. When they finally took advantage of a rush, however, Marquette was able to even things when senior forward Brody Sheldon got the puck over junior forward Seth Sandstrom, who got a puck over Kasen Helminen as he pushed across to attempt to square to the shooter with just 1:52 remaining in the period.

The Jets needed a better effort in the middle frame, and they got it. They outshot the Sentinels 9-4 in the frame, and that hard work led to a goal from senior forward Easton Therrian at 13:47. Senior forward Tage Rajala made the play happen by crashing hard into the offensive zone and causing some chaos on the forecheck, creating a loose puck that Therrian got to. He cut to the middle of the slot and fired back the way he came to beat Nevenhoven.

“It all started with Tage with a great forecheck,” Aaron Helminen said. “It almost looked like it was bleak. There’s nothing happening, and he just stuck with it, figured he’d sacrifice, and it creates a turnover right to Easton. He goes in in confidence, cut to the middle of the ice, and put a shot back where he came from. It’s a goal scorer’s goal.”

By the end of the second period, the Jets had caught up in shots on goal, but that quickly changed early in the third as the Sentinels stormed back again.

They drew a power play of their own just 51 seconds into the third period, and then struck when senior forward Jack Pond crashed the net after a shot from Sheldon went to the net. Pond knocked the puck past Kasen Helminen in the process for the tally at 2:14.

Kasen Helminen stood his ground after the Jets regained the lead for the third time, stopping 14 of 15 pucks thrown his way to earn the win.

“Just solid back there,” said Aaron Helminen of his son’s efforts. “Just battle, compete and battle, and no quit back there. I think he’s gotten better at staying with pucks, because teams have grounded out a little bit on us. Hopefully, this is a big confidence boost for him.”

Up next

The Jets return to action Friday, when they travel to Traverse City to face Bay Reps.