Marquette, MI – November 22nd, 2016 – The season had just begun, but the action was already burning hot as the Marquette Redmen varsity hockey team took on the Houghton Gremlins at Lakeview Arena on Tuesday. The opening puck drop was won by the Marquette center, and the Redmen quickly dumped the puck into the Gremlins’ end of the ice. However, Houghton was able to clear the puck almost immediately. The majority of the first period was back-and-forth, with neither team having any major scoring chances, but as the clock ticked below one minute left in the period, the Redmen started getting more shots on goal.
First Period Score
Marquette Redmen: 0
Houghton Gremlins: 0
The excitement was palpable as the puck dropped for the start of the second period. The Marquette Redmen were having a difficult time putting shots on the goal, but their defense had been outstanding. Both team were tied at four shots apiece with just under four minutes gone from the period, but the Redmen found themselves down a player with the first penalty of the game. They fought through the two minutes, and they even had two different scoring opportunities while short handed but were unable to put the puck into the net. The Redmen put the first point of the game onto the board with just under five minutes left in the second quarter when Sean O. made a great play on the goal line and put it in unassisted. However, just nine seconds later, Houghton answered after a Marquette defensive player lost his edge, rendering him unable to help on the breakaway. Under two minutes later, the Gremlins again scored off the draw, threading the puck through multiple Redmen defenders.
Second Period Score
Marquette Redmen: 1
Houghton Gremlins: 2
As the final quarter began, the Marquette Redmen trailed by a single goal against the Houghton Gremlins. Both teams had several excellent plays on defense, but Joey Phillips scored for the Redmen on a feed from Spencer S. at the top of the circles. That evened the score at two goals for both teams, but just as before, the Gremlins answered right away with another goal of their own. That put Houghton up by one goal with less than half of the period remaining. The Gremlins were struggling with holding back the Redmen as the final seconds ticked away, and the Redmen’s Ethan Jones, who was the sixth skater on the ice after pulling the goal keeper, put in a game-evening goal with just 6 seconds left in the game.
Overtime started with the Marquette Redmen on a power play due to a major penalty from the end of the third quarter. They used that to their advantage, and Hunter Ducette scored the game winning goal off a rebound from a shot by Ethan Jones less than two minutes into the extra period.
Final Game Score
Marquette Redmen: 4
Houghton Gremlins: 3
