LocalSportsJournal.com
PITTSBURGH – Matvei Gridin powered the Muskegon Lumberjacks to a season-opening victory on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Gridin scored a hat trick, all in the third period, as Muskegon defeated the Omaha Lancers, 6-2, in a game played at UPMC Covestro Innovation Rink 2. Gridin also added an assist for a four-point game.
Joe Connor staked Muskegon to a 1-0 lead at 17:07 of the opening period on a power-play goal that was assisted by Cody Croal and Ty Henriks. It was the first of three assists on the day for Croal.
Ethan Whitcomb gave the Jacks a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the middle period. That power-play tally was assisted by Croal and Gridin. Hunter Anderson made it 3-0 for Muskegon at 15:22 of the period with assists going to Sacha Boisvert and Whitcomb.
Matvei Gridin
Before the period ended, Omaha got on the board and trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes.
In the third period, it was all Gridin, who scored an assisted goal at 1:21, a goal at 5:47 with assists to Connor and Croal and another unassisted tally at 12:56. Omaha did score on third-period goal.
Muskegon goaltender Paxton Geisel posted the victory with 33 saves on 35 shots. Muskegon had 27 shots on goal.
The Lumberjacks return to the ice at 12:30 p.m. Sunday for a game against Dubuque. That game also is in Pittsburgh.
Muskegon then returns home to prepare for its home opener, which is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday against Team USA-18 at Trinity Health Arena.
