The Calumet Copper Kings are headed to the Region 17 finals this Saturday after defeating the Hancock Bulldogs 9-3 at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Tuesday.

The Copper Kings once again did what they do best – play strong, disciplined hockey.

There were no secrets remaining between two teams seeing each other for the fourth time.

“We played well,” said Calumet head coach Dan Giachino. “I thought our gray line of Tanner Rowe, Sam Erkkila and Alex Mattila played really well early in the game, and then I thought the Loukus line played well into the second and the third periods found a groove and put pucks in the net.”

The Copper Kings got on the board first as forward Dean Loukus took advantage of a power play situation just 2:40 into the first period. Loukus was able to move his way into the slot and as Hancock’s goalie Philip Rios thought he was going down with the puck, Loukus went up and past his glove hand. The Bulldogs had opportunities to tie it as the Copper Kings racked up eight minutes in penalties before the first period buzzer rang out. However, after one, the Copper Kings only led by one.

Hancock’s head coach Dan Rouleau felt good about where the Bulldogs were at that point in the contest.

“If you looked at our shot chart, we kept them outside which was good,” he said. “We only gave them one goal (in the first), and I was happy with that. In the past, these games (against Calumet) have been blow outs. We changed a few things around and were able to stay in it for most of the game. I really like our team’s effort tonight.”

Headed into the second, the Bulldogs did not waste any time in tying the game at 1-1. At the 1:37 mark, Petr Anderson was open in the slot and took a crisp pass from teammate Trevor Tchida and then lifted the puck past the glove side of Calumet goaltender Alex Studebaker for the score. It was his first of two on the night.

Calumet would bounce back ahead with a Alex Mattila backhanded goal across the crease at 6:29. It stayed that way for seven minutes as both teams battled each other at both ends of the ice.

Then at around the 14-minute mark, a wild sequence occurred where four goals were scored in a matter of 70 seconds. Calumet had three and Hancock notched one.

Tanner Rowe of Calumet started it off as he carried the puck in on the far left side of the ice and looked like he was going in past the net but instead turned in towards Rios and lifted one past him. Fifteen seconds later, it was Dean Loukus’ turn as he put a slap shot on net that went between Rios legs.

Just 20 seconds later, the Bulldogs made the score 4-2 when Colton Salani brought the puck into the zone and then fed it to Hunter Saarinen. He then found Petr Anderson open near the net. Anderson was able to slip a shot between the goal post and stick of Studebaker.

But the Copper Kings would have the last say in this scoring spree as Hancock’s Leroy Bastian failed to clear a loose puck near the left faceoff circle and it went right to the stick of Rowe, who wasted no time in firing it past Rios. After two periods, the Copper Kings led 5-2.

“I thought Petr Anderson was phenomenal tonight,” said Rouleau. “He was out there always hustling and always on the puck and his linemates Colton and Austin (Salani) were right there with him. It was just a good night for all three of those guys.”

In the opening minutes of the third period, the Bulldogs made in 5-3 when Tchida found the back of the net off a pass from Bryce Randell. However, the Copper Kings widened the gap at the 3:29 mark when Brent Loukus carried one in solo and slipped it into the net. He would put in one more in the third as would Gabe Coppo and Scott Loukus.

“That was the best we played them,” said Rouleau. “They are a very good hockey team. It was not a 9-3 hockey game as those couple of goals were us just being worn out.”

The Bulldogs’ season ends at 7-18, but the Copper Kings’ season continue as they will face Houghton on Saturday at 1 p.m. for the regional title. They are 2-1 against Houghton this season.

“We know that we will not have as many scoring chances against Houghton as we did tonight against Hancock,” said Giachino. “We’ve got to be better against them defensively, and we need to stay out of the penalty box. If we can do that, it should be a good hockey game.”

Scoring

Hancock 0 2 1 – 3

Calumet 1 4 4 – 9

First period

1, CLK, Dean Loukus (Josh Vandenberg), 2:40

Second period

2, HCH, Petr Anderson (Trevor Tchida), 1:37

3, CLK, Alex Mattila (Sam Erkkila, Tanner Rowe), 6:29

4, CLK, Rowe (Brent Loukus), 14:09

5, CLK, Dean Loukus (Scott Loukus, Brent Loukus),14:24

6, HCH, Petr Anderson, (Hunter Saarinen, Colton Salani), 14:37

7, CLK, Rowe (Erkkila, Gabe Coppo), 15:02

Third period

8, HCH, Tchida (Bryce Randell, Todd Anderson), 1:34

9, CLK, Brent Loukus, 3:29

10, CLK, Brent Loukus, (Nick Djerf), 10:02

11, CLK, Coppo (Lincoln Beiring, Djerf), 11:14

12, CLK, Scott Loukus (Brent Loukus), 16:00

Saves

HCH, Rios 13 7 12 – 32

CLK, Studebaker 6 12 5 – 23

Power plays

HCH: 1/7; CLK: 2/7

Penalties

HCH: 7/14; CLK: 7/17