By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – Throughout a long season, it is important for a team to win games that they are expected to help boost the squad’s postseason chances.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks have a pair of scheduled games this weekend that features a struggling opponent in the Chicago Steel.

Lumberjacks defenseman Easton Young. Photo/Sondra Workman

The Steel entered the weekend in last place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference and has failed to find a way to beat the Jacks in their first pair of meetings early in the season.

Muskegon remained unbeaten against the Steel as they cruised to a 6-2 win on Friday at the Trinity Health Arena. The Lumberjacks are now 14-9-2 on the season, good for 30 points and a tie for fourth place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference.

Muskegon, which has won six of its last eight contests, will look to complete the weekend sweep of the Steel at 7 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Health Arena.

“They might be a little lower in the standings, but they can be deadly offensively,” said Lumberjacks assistant coach Adam Morrison. “They have been finding their game in recent weeks and they are a team that you can’t take lightly. We are happy our players did their jobs and played to the best of their ability but there is another game (Saturday) and we have to do the same thing and show up ready to go.”

The Lumberjacks opened the scoring with a goal by Cody Croal 7:05 into the opening period.

Muskegon increased its lead to 2-0 at the 11:24 mark with an unassisted goal from David Klee.

The Steel were handed the first power play of the contest late in the stanza and Chicago took full advantage. Joey DelGreco found the back of the net for Chicago 18:42 into the opening period to cut the Steel deficit to 2-1.

The Lumberjacks quickly responded with 12 seconds left in the first period with a goal from Matvei Gridin. Muskegon led 3-1 at the end of the first period and held a 14-12 advantage in the shots on goal department.

The Lumberjacks had a great chance to increase their lead early in the second period when they were handed their first power play of the game 1:49 into the stanza. Muskegon failed to connect with the man advantage, then the Steel connected 4:20 into the second period with a goal from Jordan Brisson to cut Chicago’s deficit to 3-2.

Muskegon’s Ethan Whitcomb. Photo/Sondra Workman

The Lumberjacks regained their two-goal advantage just before the midway point of the contest. Ty Henricks took the puck just inside the blue line and split a pair of Chicago defenders on his way to a clear path to the net. Henricks fired it home 9:58 into the second period to increase the Lumberjacks advantage to 4-2.

The Lumberjacks added another goal at the 14:02 mark of the second stanza to take a 5-2 advantage. Henricks connected with his second goal of the evening to give Muskegon the three-goal lead.

Muskegon continued to pour it on as Ethan Whitcomb snuck the puck just past the goal line at the 18:50 mark of the second period to give the Jacks a commanding 6-2 lead.

Both teams failed to find the back of the net during the last 20 minutes. The Lumberjacks failed to score on their lone power play of the stanza, but killed off both of Chicago’s man advantages.

The Lumberjacks outshot Chicago 42-28 as Beau Lane earned the win in net. He stopped 26-of-28 shots.

“Beau showed up a couple weeks ago and got an opportunity in Sioux Falls last week and he shut the door for us,” Morrison said. “He is a great kid that shows up and puts in the work every single day.”

Muskegon’s Sam Spehar (17) and Matve iGridin (92). Photo/Sondra Workman

Photo/Sondra Workman