Local Sports Journal

It looks as though the Dubuque Fighting Saints may be as good as they were last year, and that’s not good news for the rest of the United States Hockey League, including the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

The Fighting Saints, the defending Clark Cup champions, ran their record to a perfect 4-0-0 with a 2-1 victory over the Lumberjacks in Dubuque Friday night.

The Lumberjacks suffered their second consecutive loss after starting the season with four straight wins.  They will play in Green Bay tonight before returning home next weekend for Friday and Saturday night  games against Sioux Falls.

Dubuque took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal by Phil Boja, who cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play. The home team went up 2-0 in the second period on a shorthanded goal from Seamus Malone.

Muskegon  got on the scoreboard with just under five minute left in the game when Matt Iacopelli collected his first goal of the season.

Muskegon was outshot 31-25. Goalie Eric Schierhorn stopped 29 shots to take the hard-luck loss.