Calumet defenseman Dylan Crouch battles to keep the puck away from Jeffers forward Brogan Turner during a Region 17 semifinal game Friday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Co-captain Nathan Londo played his first game since Jan. 24, and the Calumet Copper Kings used the boost of getting one of their leaders back to score twice in each of the first two periods en route to a 4-3 Region 17 semifinal win over the Jeffers Jets Friday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

The Copper Kings scored a key goal with 1:16 remaining in the first period to turn a 1-1 game into a lead going into the first intermission, and then added a shorthanded tally with 4:08 left in the second period to turn a 3-2 lead into a 4-2 advantage, and those two goals changed the game.

“(They gave) us a two-goal cushion,” Copper Kings coach Dan Giachino said. “Especially, I think, in the first period, we got a late one. That’s a huge goal late in the period. It set the tempo for us in terms of that. So, it was nice to get four on the board today. We held on there in third.”

Junior goaltender Beau Jukuri surrendered just one goal in the third, but made 12 key saves, every one feeling like it came from point-blank range.

“I think they had two really big momentum goals,” said Jets coach Aaron Helminen. “You score within the last minute of a period, as always, a big, big boost for a team. Then, of course, to get a shorthanded goal for them, too. There’s another momentum boost for them.

“But, I thought each time our guys responded well and got back after it. We were able to respond with a goal and just couldn’t find the back of the net at the end. (We) tip our hat to some great goaltending on their end from Beau, and their team gutted it out.”

The two big goals included a rebound knocked in by alternate captain Luke Hamlin at 15:44 of the first period off a shot from senior defenseman Dylan Crouch.

Hamlin’s goal came after the Copper Kings had really hemmed the Jets in their own end for two straight shifts, leading to multiple faceoffs in close to co-captain Kasen Helminen. Helminen did make the initial save on Crouch’s shot from the right point, but he could not corral the rebound in time.

“I know they got four goals,” said Aaron, “(but) he bought us a little bit of time with a few other big saves that were needed. Happy to have coached him for the last few years, too. He’s another leader that we’re going to miss in the group. But, I think they did a good job of mentoring the younger kids, and (we’re) excited for things to come.”

The other key goal came on a Jets power play in the latter stages of the middle frame. With Jeffers pushing for offense, a puck squirted behind a defender, and Londo and co-captain Erik Loukus raced up in the ice on a 2-on-1. Londo carried the puck into the slot, drawing a defender to him, and then he fed it over to Loukus, who beat Kasen Helminen with a wrist shot over the glove from near the right faceoff dot.

Getting a key goal that involved Londo in his first game helped with the Copper Kings’ confidence.

“He’s clearly not at 100%, and his hands, literally his hands, aren’t quite there,” said Giachino. “But, what he does, just from energy/intensity, making the little plays, and he was able to make those gritty wall plays, pretty plays in front of the net, and, yeah, you know what you’re going to get out of him. He’s one of our two captains, and it was great to have him back in the lineup.”

Senior defenseman Drake Niemela put the Copper Kings on the board first 7:01 into the game when he blocked a shot in his own end and jumped up the ice after Loukus floated a puck ahead of him. Niemela broke in alone, deked to his forehand, and scored.

It took the Jets just 19 seconds to respond when co-captain Brogan Turner bounced a rebound off of Jukuri and into the net. Sophomore forward Max Nordstrom picked up an assist on the play.

The game was still 2-1 in favor of the Copper Kings in the second period when alternate captain Ben Anderson jumped on a rebound off a shot from Crouch that bounced right to him. Anderson quickly released a shot that hit the post to Kasen Helminen’s right and bounced into the net at 10:01.

Nordstrom cut the lead back to one with an unassisted marker at 11:32. He made a move around a Calumet defender and then roofed a shot over Jukuri’s glove.

The Jets needed a spark in the third period, down two goals, and they got it when they were awarded a power play. After multiple quality looks, Turner got the puck in the right circle. He turned and wristed a shot that beat Jukuri at 9:19.

Just 40 seconds later, the Jets found themselves back on the advantage. However, this time Calumet shut things down, and from there, Jukuri made the stops he needed to in order to close the game out. In total, he stopped 23 to earn the win.

Kasen Helminen stopped 17 in the loss for the Jets.

Up next

The Copper Kings will take on the Houghton Gremlins for the Region 17 championship Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Jeffers forward Max Nordstrom beats Calumet goaltender Beau Jukuri with a wrist shot in the second period of a Region 17 semifinal game Friday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)