Muskegon Risers and Miguel Flores make a statement with season-opening win

By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – After having a rough season last year, it was important for the Muskegon Risers to start on the right foot this season.

The Risers managed to win just two games last year and their leading scorer, hometown native Miguel Flores, led the team with 10 goals in a 12-game span.

Muskegon opened the 2023-24 season with an impressive 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Ambush 2 squad on Saturday night at the Trinity Health Arena.

Flores broke out of the gates for the Risers, netting four goals in the season-opening win.

The Risers are 1-0 and will look to match last season’s win total on the road against the Iowa Demon Hawks on December 22. It will be part of a two-game series in two days.

Muskegon will return home on January 6 against the defending North Division champion Iowa Raptors FC.

“We are usually on the road to start the season and road games are tough,” said Risers coach Michael Vollmer. “This place is amazing with the fans, with the energy they bring. It is pretty awesome to have a 1-0 start.”

The Risers were strong with their special teams as they were 4-for-5 on the power play, and they committed just one penalty and it was during the final minute of regulation.

“We always try to work on our power play during practice,” Vollmer said. “It’s a big part of this game and it showed tonight.”

Flores led the Risers power-play attack, getting three goals while on the man advantage.

“The kid is a killer,” said Vollmer about his leading scorer. “You give him opportunities and he will take them. He is a shooter first, second and third and that’s what he does well.”

The first quarter ended in a goalless tie as the Risers played strong defensively. Goalkeeper Jake Lofgren stopped multiple shots in front of the net to keep St. Louis off the board.

Flores had the best chance to score for Muskegon with an opportunity in front of the net with just over five minutes left in the first quarter, but he was robbed by the St. Louis goalkeeper.

The Ambush 2 opened the scoring 1:34 into the second quarter as Louis Perez scored on his own rebound to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

The Risers were given a glorious opportunity to tie up the contest after getting handed the game’s first power play at the 9:21 mark of the second quarter.

Muskegon took full advantage just 12 seconds into the infraction as Flores connected with the power play strike to tie the contest, 1-1.

The game remained tied throughout the rest of the first half, but Muskegon was given a power play with just over a minute left in the second quarter. The Ambush 2 goalkeeper was whistled for touching the ball with his hands outside the goal box.

The Risers didn’t connect during the first minute of the power play, keeping the contest deadlocked at halftime.

Muskegon failed to score on its second power play but was given its third man-advantage opportunity of the game at the 10:35 mark of the third quarter.

The Risers took full advantage and found their first lead of the night. Flores scored his second of the night and second of the season at the 11:01 mark to give Muskegon a 2-1 lead.

Muskegon was given another power play just 41 seconds later and connected once again.

Aldony Mendez scored his first goal of the season for the Risers 11:58 into the third quarter to give Muskegon a 3-1 lead.

The Ambush 2 responded quickly with a goal from Niall Torricelli at the 12:35 mark of the third quarter, cutting the Risers’ lead to a 3-2 margin.

The Risers responded 13:48 into the third period as Flores completed a three-goal hat trick to give Muskegon the 4-2 advantage heading into the final stanza.

Muskegon continued its success with the man advantage during the final quarter after St. Louis was given a two-minute blue card.

Flores responded with his fourth tally of the contest to put the Risers up, 5-2.

The Ambush 2 pulled their goalie for the majority of the final five minutes of the contest but failed to get any goals past Lofgren.

“We were proving a point because it wasn’t easy just having two wins last season,” Flores said about his team’s season-opening accomplishment. “It feels good to come out here and put on a show for our home fans. I think we can win this division. This city deserves a championship.”

Take a look at more photos from the action shot by Leo Valdez.