MADISON, Wisc. – The Muskegon Lumberjacks managed to hold off third-period pressure on Sunday evening and defeated the Madison Capitols 5-4 at Bob Suter Capitol Ice Arena in Wisconsin.
The Lumberjacks tied the game early in the third period, then added a pair of goals to take a two-goal advantage with just under 10 minutes to play.
The Capitols put on the pressure as they produced almost half of their game shots during the third period, but they could only muster one late goal with less than a minute left in regulation.
Muskegon has now won two straight games on the road and is 24-14-2 on the season, good for 50 points and a second-place tie with the Green Bay Gamblers. The Jacks, who are just five points behind first place Dubuque, will return home Friday to play the Youngstown Phantoms at Trinity Health Arena for a pair of contests. Both games are slated to start at 7:10 p.m.
On Sunday, the Capitols opened the scoring 2:06 into the contest on a goal from Jack Brandt.
Muskegon tied the contest with an unassisted goal from Teddy Spitznagel at the 8:11 mark of the first period.
Madison took a 2-1 lead at the 10:14 mark on a goal from Austin Burnevik.
The Capitols led 2-1 at the first intermission with both teams producing 11 shots on goal.
The Lumberjacks tied up the contest with a goal 7:32 into the middle period from Easton Young.
Madison retook its lead at the 13:29 mark on a goal from Andrew Kuzma.
The Capitols led 3-2 through 40 minutes of play despite getting outshot by 24-19.
Muskegon responded with two early third-period goals from Sacha Boisvert at the 28-second and 2:35 marks of the final period. The Jacks added a much-needed insurance goal 10:53 into the third period from Joe Connor.
Madison, which outshot the Lumberjacks 18-7 in the final period, could only get one goal with 19 seconds left in the contest off the stick of Burnevik.
The Capitols outshot Muskegon, 37-31. Lumberjacks goaltender Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev earned the win in net by stopping 33 of 37 shots.
Muskegon scored on its lone power play while the Capitols were 1-for-2 while on the man advantage.