By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The 2024-2025 regular season is quickly winding down and the Muskegon Lumberjacks are in a very tight four-team race heading into the final two weekends.
The Lumberjacks know they only can control what is in front of them and hope for the best in these final four contests of the season.
Muskegon had a two-goal lead slip away on Friday night, but stayed focused and found a way to earn the important victory with a 3-2 overtime win over the Team USA Under-18 squad.
Luka Radivojevic was the hero, scoring on a one-time shot from the right faceoff circle with just 15 seconds left in overtime.
“He (Radivojevic) scored an identical goal in Dubuque,” said Lumberjacks’ associate coach Colten St. Clair. “He has a heavy shot and we are encouraging him to be more of a threat offensively and tonight it paid off.”
The win improves the Lumberjacks record to 36-15-8 on the season, good for 80 points and a first-place tie in the Eastern Conference with the Madison Capitols. Dubuque and Youngstown are tied for third place with 79 points. Madison and Dubuque both lost in regulation on Friday night.
Muskegon returns to action on Sunday, after a rare Saturday off, when it will host the Waterloo Black Hawks. Faceoff is set for 3:05 p.m.
The Lumberjacks will close the regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series with the Chicago Steel.
“They (Team USA) had a little bit of a push, and we knew they would,” St. Clair said. “At the end of the day, we found a way to stay composed and control our emotions. And then some guys made some huge plays at the end.”
Muskegon goaltender Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev helped the cause by stopping 25-of-27 shots and earning his 18th win of the season.
“There were some incredible saves,” St. Clair said. “He (Gadzhiev) bailed us out, and stayed controlled, and played with some confidence and energy.”
Tynan Lawrence shot the puck off the USA goaltender’s back skate, and it trickled into the net at the 5:46 mark of the first period to get the Lumberjacks on the board. Matthew Van Blaricom and Xavier Veilleux assisted on Lawrence’s 24th goal of the season.
The Lumberjacks increased the lead to 2-0 as Veilleux snapped a shot near the blue line on the right side at the 6:17 mark of the second period. Finn McLaughlin and Jack Galanek recorded assists on the goal.
Team USA broke up the shutout at the 1:01 mark of the third period with a goal from Jacob Kvasnicka to make it 2-1.
The Under-18 squad had the first full two-minute power play seconds later, but the Lumberjacks successfully killed off the man advantage.
Team USA tied the contest 2-2 at the 14:29 mark with a goal from Michael Berchild.
With important points on the line, the game was deadlocked heading into the final few minutes of regulation. The game remained tied, forcing a five-minute 3-on-3 sudden death overtime period.
Team USA committed a costly infraction just eight seconds into overtime. That gave the Lumberjacks a 4-on-3 power play for two minutes. The Lumberjacks failed to score the game-winner while on the power play.
Muskegon put the game-winner in the back of the net with just 15.7 seconds left in overtime on the one-timer by Radivojevic.
“We need to just be the best version of ourselves,” St. Clair said. “We know what is at hand and we just have to be prepared tomorrow so we can have a great day on Sunday.”
Photos by Sondra Workman
