LocalSportsJournal.com

The Muskegon Lumberjacks failed to put the puck in the net for just the third time this season on Friday night.

In the process they lost their second straight game, falling to Youngstown 3-0 at the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

Muskegon is now 28-16-4 on the season, good for 60 points and fourth place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings.

The Lumberjacks are now six points ahead of Green Bay in the race for the final playoff spot in the conference.

The first period ended in a scoreless tie, with Muskegon outshooting the Phantoms by a wide 12-4 margin.

Youngstown opened the scoring with two second period goals, just 27 seconds apart.

Chase Gresock gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead at 16:17, then Alex Esposito increased that advantage to 2-0 at the 16:44 mark.

Austin Pooley added an empty net goal at the 18:40 mark of the third period to complete the scoring,

The Lumberjacks outshot Youngstown by a 29-21 margin.

Youngstown goaltender Ivan Kulbakov stopped all 29 shots, while Lumberjack goalie Adam Brizgala stopped 18 of 20 shots.