LocalSportsJournal.com
When a hockey goalie is really hot, they say he’s “standing on his head.”
That would accurately describe the recent performance of Muskegon Lumberjacks netminder Adam Brizgala.
Two weekends ago, he allowed just one goal against first-place Chicago in a big home victory.
On Saturday he only let in one late goal in a Lumberjacks win in Madison.
On Monday Brizgala finally got his first shutout of the season, stopping all 22 shots in a 3-0 win over the Team USA Under-17 squad at the USA Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
Muskegon’s penalty kill unit played a huge role in the victory, denying Team USA on all seven of its power play opportunities. The Lumberjacks, on the other hand, scored two power play goals.
The Lumberjacks, who have won two games in a row, are now 20-12-2 on the season, good for 42 points and a third-place tie with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings.
Muskegon will return home this weekend for a pair of games against the Green Bay Gamblers, who are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Puck drop on Friday and Saturday will be at 7:15 p.m.
The Lumberjacks opened the scoring against Team USA at the 14:31 mark of the first period with a goal from Scooter Brickey. Garrett Van Wyhe and Jack McNeely assisted on the tally.
Muskegon increased its lead to 2-0 with a Collin Adams power play goal at the 16:26 mark of the first period. Captain Bo Hanson and Andrei Svechnikov had assists.
Jachym Kondelik added another power play goal for the Jacks 7:25 into the second period to wrap up the scoring, Matt Steeves and Marc Del Gaizo picked up assists.
The third period was scoreless. The Lumberjacks outshot Team USA by a 30-22 margin.
