LocalSportsJournal.com
OMAHA – It is very difficult to hold a USHL squad without a goal during an entire 60-minute contest.
The Muskegon Lumberjacks did just that on Friday night for the first time this season.
The Jacks opened their two-game road series against the last-place Omaha Lancers, blanking them 3-0 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Nebraska.
Muskegon has now won three of its last four games and improved to 20-12-2 on the season, good for 42 points and a second-place tie in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings.
The Jacks will look to complete the sweep on the road against the Lancers before returning home for a three-game homestand next weekend at Trinity Health Arena. Saturday’s contest begins at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Muskegon will face the Des Moines Buccaneers at home next Friday before playing the Lincoln Stars on both Saturday and Sunday.
Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev was the star of the night for the Lumberjacks, stopping all 25 shots faced, while Matvei Gridin paced Muskegon offensively with two goals.
The Lumberjacks scored the lone goal of the opening period as Gridin connected for his 16th goal of the season at the 14:50 mark to give Muskegon a 1-0 lead.
Muskegon held 13-11 shots on goal advantage during the opening period.
The second period was scoreless.
The Lumberjacks killed off Omaha’s lone second-period power play, but failed to score on both of their man advantages, which included a two-man advantage for 56 seconds. Muskegon had shots on goal advantage of a slim 20-19 margin during the first 40 minutes.
Gridin scored his second goal of the evening at the 1:14 mark of the third period to increase the Lumberjacks lead to 2-0.
The Lumberjacks added an empty net goal from Jack Galanek at the 17:44 mark of the third period.
Muskegon outshot the Lancers by 34-25. Both teams struggled with their power plays as the Jacks failed on both of their opportunities while Omaha was 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
