LocalSportsJournal.com
PITTSBURGH – The Muskegon Lumberjacks struggled defensively in their second game at the USHL Fall Classic in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon.
The Lumberjacks allowed seven unanswered goals to erase an early slim one-goal lead before falling to the Dubuque Fighting Saints by an 8-3 margin.
Muskegon, which is 1-1 on the season, will return home for its home opener on Friday against Team USA Under-18 squad at a special 10:30 a.m. faceoff.
The Jacks opened the scoring as captain Cody Croal notched his first of the season 1:21 into the contest to give Muskegon a 1-0 lead.
Dubuque responded 4:07 into the first period with a power-play tally from Erik Pahlsson.
Justin Solovey gave the Jacks a 2-1 lead 12:18 into the first period before the Fighting Saints went on a seven straight goal barrage.
Josh Giuliani (14:41) and Colin Frank (18:38) each scored to give Dubuque a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission.
The Fighting Saints outscored Muskegon by a 4-0 margin during the second period to take a 7-2 advantage heading into the third. Gavin Cornforth (2:53), Juraj Pekarcik (9:07), Jake Sondreal (9:20) and Michael Barron (15:01) each found the back of the net for Dubuque.
Dubuque added their seventh straight goal at the 5:21 mark of the third period as James Reeder gave the Fighting Saints an 8-2 lead.
David Klee closed out the game scoring with a goal 13:53 into the third period for the Lumberjacks.
The Fighting Saints outshot Muskegon by a 33-23 margin.
Muskegon was 1-for-6 on the power play while killing off two of Dubuque’s four extra-man advantages.
Lucas Szyszka suffered the loss in net for Muskegon, stopping 14-of-19 shots faced, while Paxton Geisel made 11 saves on 14 shots in relief for the Jacks from between the pipes.
