By Ron Rop
Local Sports Journal

What a weekend for Muskegon Lumberjack goaltender Kevin Lindskoug.

For the second straight night, the Lindskoug stopped every shot he faced, and on Saturday night, made 29 saves in a 3-0 victory over the visiting Chicago Steel.

Muskegon Lumberjacks’ goaltender Kevin Lindskoug, shown in a game earlier this season, posted his second straight shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Steel. Photo/Ellen DeLuca

A turnout of 1,966 witnessed Lindskoug’s league-leading fifth shutout of the season.

“This was really a nice shutout,” Lindskoug said. “A team shutout. We played really well the whole game through and I got a ton of help from my defense.”

That defense blocked a lot of shots, kept the front of the net clear and didn’t allow many odd-man rushes.

“I think they had one 2-on-1, actually,” said Lindskoug, who improved his record to 14-6-2. “And then they had a couple of tips in front of me and that was it. No backdoor passes … we’ve been working on that.”

“He’s playing well and I like the way we are playing in front of him,” said Lumberjack coach Jim McKenzie, whose team is 7-1-1 in their last nine games. “We’ve done some really good things, we’re getting better at attacking the other team.”

Lindskoug got all the offense he would need when Ben Foster scored on a 3-on-1 rush on the Steel net.

The insurance goals came when Lumberjacks’ power play struck twice in the second period.

Adam Gilmour knocked in a shot from defenseman Michael Brodzinski at 15:37 of the second period then Brodzinski scored his ninth of the season three minutes later.

“Tonight, their goalie played great,” McKenzie said. “We could have had a lot more, but he made some big saves. But our guys are seeing that when you stick to that 5-unit system and play well in front of Kevin, not does he make the saves, but you’re going to get turnovers and you’re going to get chances.”

Muskegon outshot Chicago 45-29. Steel goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos made 42 saves.

The Lumberjacks will play their next five games on the road. They will return home on Jan. 6.