HOUGHTON — Many talented hockey players have gone through the ranks at Painesdale Jeffers High School.

The team, however, has often been low on numbers.

The situation has changed this winter, and the Jets have a 22-4 record to show for it.

“In the past, we could only skate two lines,” coach Aaron Helminen said. “Now our numbers are up. In the last few years we had 25-27 guys, which gives us some depth. You need numbers to have competition. It makes everybody better because the guys push each other. You have to work harder to keep your spot.”

Although Jeffers is a cooperative hockey program, allowing the Jets to roster players from Chassell, Ontonagon, Dollar Bay, Baraga, L’Anse and Ironwood as well, all 18 of this year’s players are Jeffers student-athletes – which is even more impressive as Jeffers’ enrollment total for classification this school year was just 218.

The Jets began their postseason journey with a 4-1 victory over Calumet in a Division 3 Regional opener last Wednesday. They return to the MacInnes Student Ice Arena at Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. today to face Houghton (18-8), which has won two straight Regional titles.

“We got good shifts from our third line,” Helminen said. “We’re just excited to have an opportunity to play another game. Houghton can skate 3-4 lines. They have a very good team. That will be a revenge game for them.”

The Jets – ranked No. 6 in Division 3 entering the postseason – defeated the No. 2 Gremlins 6-2 in their lone regular-season meeting Jan. 22.

“They’re a very fast and physical team,” Jeffers senior Benton Rajala said. “We have to get guys on the puck and play the body. I don’t recall of Jeffers ever winning a Regional, but I have dreamed about it.”

The Jets, however, did capture a Regional title in 1977. A victory tonight would end their drought.

“It feels great to be moving on,” senior Brit Heinonen said after the Calumet win. “This gets the monkey off our back. Having larger numbers makes a big difference. We have a special group which plays well together. We have good chemistry.”

In last Wednesday’s game, Jeffers outshot Calumet 29-17 with junior goaltender Kasen Helminen stopping 16 shots.

“It feels good to win a playoff game, but I haven’t had much chance to think about it yet,” Helminen said after. “I’d rather have some shots taken at me. Clearing the puck helps me out. In practice, we have one or two drills in which shots are fired at me. I also practice a lot on my footwork.”

What kind of challenges are in store for the Jets tonight?

“They (Houghton) try to beat you with the rushes,” the Jets’ goaltender said. “You have to be aware of their odd-man rushes.

”It would feel great to advance.”

Heinonen had similar thoughts about the Gremlins, who defeated Hancock 5-3 in their Regional opener.

“Houghton has been great for many years,” he said. “Teams around here will battle to the end. In playoffs, anything can happen. We have a good chance.”

The winner advances to the Saturday Quarterfinal contest at Lakeview Arena in Marquette to face the winner of another Regional Final tonight between Escanaba (16-10) and Sault Ste. Marie (11-13-1).

John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

PHOTOS (Top) Painesdale Jeffers’ junior Brogan Turner rips a shot during a game this season. (Middle) The Jets’ Easton Therrian (4) makes his way up ice against Negaunee. (Below) Brit Heinonen advances past the blue line. (Photos by RR Photo.)