LocalSportsJournal.com
Saturday’s game could have turned out even worse for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, if not for goaltender Joey Daccord.
Des Moines peppered Daccord with 48 shots throughout 67 minutes of hockey, and his 45 saves he were necessary for the Jacks to gain a crucial point in the standings.
The Buccaneers defeated Muskegon 4-3 in a five-round shootout at Buccaneers Arena in Urbandale, Iowa. The Jacks got a point in the Eastern Conference standings for playing to a tie in regulation.
The Lumberjacks are now 14-15-4 on the season, good for 32 points and ninth place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings. They are 12 points behind Bloomington for the last playoff spot.
The USHL’s leading scorer, Muskegon’s Rem Pitlick, opened the scoring with two quick goals to give the Jacks a 2-0 lead.
Pitlick’s goals were at the 3:25 and 3:57 marks of the first period. Collin Adams picked up two assists on the goals, while Matej Paulovic and Derek Daschke were credited with single assists.
The Buccaneers cut their deficit to 2-1 with 17 seconds left in the opening period with a goal from Zach Jordan.
Jordan tied the game with his second goal of the evening at 7:50 of the second period, in a shorthanded situation.
Des Moines took its first lead of the night with a goal from defensemen Alec Rauhauser at the 7:53 mark of the third period.
Muskegon’s Trevor Hamilton tied the game with 3:17 left in regulation to force overtime. Chris Klack was credited with the lone assist.
The seven-minute overtime session was scoreless, forcing a three-round shootout.
Adams gave the Lumberjacks a 1-0 lead in the shootout with a goal in second round. But Des Moines’ David Keefer, a former Lumberjack, tied the shootout during the third round, forcing sudden death rounds.
Des Moines’ Ty Pelton-Byce clinched the victory with a goal during the fifth round of the shootout.
Buccaneer goalie Nick MacNab picked up the victory, stopping 25 of 28 shots.
Muskegon will close out its three-game road trip on Friday night against the Lincoln Stars at 8 p.m.
