LocalSportsJournal.com
Highlights are hard to come by when it’s the last two games of a season that concludes with no playoff hockey in downtown Muskegon. 
The Muskegon Lumberjacks had their backs against an impossible wall on Friday when they hosted the best team in the USHL, the Chicago Steel.
The Lumberjacks fell 7-2 in the first game of the final weekend at Trinity Health arena for the 2022-23 USHL season.
The first period summarized the season for Muskegon. The Lumberjacks struggled early with a Chicago goal just 87 seconds into the contest. The home crew then let in a late Steel tally with 3 seconds to play in the first.
Charlie Major and Nicholas Moldenhauer were the culprits for Chicago’s early 2-0 lead.
Chicago opened the second period with a Grayden Slipec goal and a commanding 3-0 edge.
Muskegon found a bounce later in the second period with back-to-back goals from Nicholas Rexine and Easton Young. The new-found luck didn’t last long as the Lumberjacks let in two more Chicago goals before the second period was finished.
Jack Harvey and Michael Hage tacked on the two goals for Chicago to close out the second.
Chicago capped off the night with goals from Jordan Brisson and Slipec’s second tally of the night.
Muskegon goalie Raythan Robbins made 31 saves in a game the Lumberjacks were outshot, 38-30.
The Lumberjacks will conclude the 2022-23 season at Trinity Health Arena on Saturday with a 7:05 pm puck drop against Chicago.
Photos courtesy of Sondra Workman.
