Junior forward Brogan Turner scored twice, and co-captain Cody Turner scored once on the power play, and the Jets punched their first-ever ticket to the state semifinals on Friday with a 3-0 victory.

For the Jets, defeating the Blue Devils helped them improve to 16-1 against U.P. opponents, including at least one win against all nine other schools.

“It’s exciting stuff,” said Jets coach Aaron Helminen. “Someone looked it up before the game, I think this was game 16 against a U.P. team, 16 or 17, whatever it is. Exciting stuff.”

Neither team could get much going in the opening frame that saw both teams combine for 10 shots on goal, six for the Blue Devils and four for the Jets. The second period continued to be just as tightly contested until a key sequence halfway through the frame.

Jeffers forward Cody Turner scores a power play goal in the third period of the Division 3 state quarterfinal game against Sault Ste. Marie Saturday at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

It all started with Brogan Turner taking a penalty for hooking at 7:54. Then, at 9:30, co-captain Benton Rajala took a tripping penalty, and suddenly the Blue Devils had 24 seconds of 5-on-3 power play time as part of a sequence that gave Sault Ste. Marie at least three and a half minutes of man advantage time with one or both of the Jets’ top penalty killers off the ice.

Aaron Helminen’s squad turned to alternate captain Brit Heinenon and co-captain Cody Turner to battle through the two-man sequence, and Helminen heaped praise on both for their efforts.

“Brit’s just a beast on that penalty kill, for sure, for us,” he said. “Cody does a great job on faceoffs, and (he is) a big body, takes up ice. So, happy that we were able to get through that.”

Jets goaltender Kasen Helminen, who finished with 17 saves to earn the shutout, praised the efforts of the players in front of him for helping out on the extended power play sequence.

“(We had to) just grind that out,” said Kasen. “We did a very great job of that. They only gave up like one shot or something on that, and that just gave us a lot of energy after that, and momentum.”

Jeffers defenseman Blake Hultunen carries the puck up the ice during the first period of the Division 3 state quarterfinal game against Sault Ste. Marie Saturday at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

The Jets’ netminder was right. With Benton Rajala out of the penalty box and back in the play, he came up with a quality scoring chance with 4:43 left in the period when he won a faceoff back to himself and then quickly fired a shot from the right faceoff dot on net.

Finally, at 15:16, the Jets broke through. The play started on a backcheck by Brogan Turner that caused the puck to turnover. He moved the puck over to freshman forward Max Nordstrom, who found Benton Rajala driving through the middle of the rink. Turner raced down the ice to get behind the Blue Devils’ defense and make himself a target for a pass. Rajala found him and Turner fired a wrist shot that climbed over the blocker of Casey Engle for the goal.

“I came back on the backcheck on the first one,” said Brogan. “Passed it to the forward (Nordstrom), came back, and then he (Rajala) came back to me backdoor.”

Blue Devils coach Rick Mackie admitted after the game that he could see the play developing before it did.

“I saw that 2-on-1 coming on the first goal,” he said. “I was hoping our ‘D’ (defenseman) could get a stick on it, because that No. 8 was going right for the net.”

The Blue Devils had just the final period to try to even the game, but could not. Part of the problem was the fact that they only got two shots through to Kasen Helminen through the first 15 minutes of the period.

Aaron Helminen praised the efforts of senior defenseman Joren Rajala, who blocked multiple shot attempts by Sault Ste. Marie in the period, and in the game.

“Joren Rajala played an absolute monster game for us,” he said. “Just a stud back there, handled the puck, blocked shots. Just so impressed with him.”

The Jets finally earned the second power play opportunity at 11:11 of the third period, and then Cody Turner struck 37 seconds later. On the advantage, the Jets moved the puck around until they created space for Turner in the slot. Dropping to one knee as he one-timed the shot, he beat Engle to put Jeffers just 5:12 away from advancing.

“You want that insurance goal, for sure,” said Aaron. “Just brings a little relief, gives you that little bit, not relief where you want to back off, but just that sense that, ‘OK, we can still play our aggressive style, take that up chance, and still be fine with it.’ So I think that him scoring that goal is huge.”

The Blue Devils pulled Engle with 1:55 left in the game, and got two more pucks through to Kasen Helminen, but none through him. Instead, Brogan Turner got the puck out of the defensive zone and fired a long shot from behind the red line and into the empty net at 15:21 to seal the win.

“When that goes in, heart’s beating a little fast, because I thought he had a stride or two to get the red line with a lot of ice,” Aaron Helminen said. “We’d like to not open that back up for (where) they get a ‘D’ zone faceoff, and they pop one there. So, (I’m) glad he didn’t miss.”

Kasen Helminen shut the door from there to finish the game off.

Engle made 14 saves in the loss for the Blue Devils.

BIG MOMENT FOR PAINESDALE

With the Jets having the chance to advance for the first time in program history, Aaron Helminen gushed about the excitement at home before they left Saturday morning.

“Yeah, that whole atmosphere of people rallying behind you,” he said. “Like I was commenting earlier, you go around the community, gas stations, hardware stores, everywhere you go, it’s, ‘Hey,’ and you get what their tie is to Jeffers. ‘I went there, or ‘My dad played there,’ or whatever. It’s just exciting stuff, you know what I mean?

“I think that ultimately, like this morning, that’s what really, a little bit, put me at ease. (I) walk in the gas station, get a coffee, and the clerk there is just beside herself at how exciting it is for the area. So, that just shows it, and (I’m) glad that we get the support from our fans.”

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FUNDRAISER

It has been 48 years (1977) since a Jets hockey team advanced to the semifinals. Donations are being accepted to offset the expenses of the trip. If you want to support the Jets team, you can do so by donating online. Check or cash donations can also be dropped off at the School. Checks can also be mailed to Jeffers High School, Attn Athletic Director, PO Box 37, Painesdale, MI 49955.