LocalSportsJournal.com
The Muskegon Lumberjacks just could not hang on any longer.
The Lumberjacks took a one-goal lead late in the first period and nursed it for over 36 minutes.
However the Tri-City Storm forced overtime with just under five minutes remaining on a goal from Filip Forsmark.
Forsmark tallied another goal in the extra stanza to lead the Storm past Muskegon 3-2 on Saturday at the Viaero Center in Kearney, Nebraska.
The Lumberjacks are now 26-7-2 on the season, good for 54 points and first place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference. They are 11 points ahead of the second place Chicago Steel.
Muskegon, which is tied with the Storm for first place in the overall standings, will finish its road trip on Sunday evening against the Lincoln Stars. Faceoff is slated for 3:00 EST.
The Storm opened the scoring at the 3:25 mark of the first period on a goal from Khristian Acosta.
The Lumberjacks responded with goals from Zachary Nazzarett (16:56) and Max Ellis (18:56) to take a 2-1 advantage after the opening stanza.
Tri-City finally tied the game 2-2 with 4:33 left in regulation on a tally by Forsmark to force overtime.
Forsmark scored the goal-winning goal 1:58 into the extra session.
The Storm outshot Muskegon by a 43-23 margin.
Muskegon goaltender Brandon Bussi suffered the loss in net, stopping 40 of 43 shots.