LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Lumberjacks were only 20 minutes away from earning an easy two points in the USHL standings on Sunday night.
But it was anything but easy.
The Lumberjacks entered the game with a three-goal lead, but Team USA fought back to cut the deficit to a single goal twice before Muskegon held on to a 4-3 victory at Trinity Health Arena. The game was the completion of a game started earlier, but was halted after two periods due to poor ice conditions.
Muskegon is currently in second place in the Eastern Conference with six games remaining, but third-place Green Bay is just a point behind with eight contests left. The Jacks will play their next two games on the road against seventh place Cedar Rapids RoughRiders starting on Friday at 8:05 p.m.
Team USA rallied fro down 3-0 with a pair of goals as Will Horcoff and Will Moore scored at the 5:14 and 7:10 marks, respectively.
Cody Croal gave the Lumberjacks a 4-2 lead with a goal near the midpoint of the period.
Team USA responded with Moore’s second goal of the afternoon, but it was a little too late with 36 seconds remaining.
The Lumberjacks jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Feb. 17 with first-0period goals from Matvei Gridin (8:53) and Ty Henricks (12:18) and a second-period goal by Joe Connor (5:16).
Team USA outshot the Lumberjacks on Sunday 20-5 after getting outshot 29-18 through the first two periods of play.
Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev earned the win in net for Muskegon, stopping 35 shots including 17 on Sunday.
