Men's Ice Hockey 12/10/2022 10:06:00 PM Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com

Lumberjacks battle to the end with two late goals, but fall 5-4 to first-place Chicago Steel

The Jacks pulled their goalie with four minutes left for an extra attacker, and the strategy almost worked

The Muskegon Lumberjacks are just one tough team to put away.

Even when they lose, they put up an entertaining fight.

The Jacks trailed the first-place Chicago Steel 4-2 with four minutes left on Saturday, and the game was seemingly over.

Then they opened a few eyes when they pulled goalie Conor Callaghan with four minutes left – a bit earlier than usual, to be sure – just to take a desperate stab at tying things up.

It very nearly worked. The Lumberjacks scored two goals with an unprotected net within the final 3:20 – cloaked around a Chicago empty-netter - but lost a 5-4 thriller at Trinity Health Arena.

The clock expired with the Jacks scrambling and digging in front of the Chicago net, fighting for the equalizer. If another minute had been on the clock, or even 30 seconds…

Niko Rexine and Michael Callow each had two goals for the Jacks, who fell to 12-9-1 on the season. Chicago improved to 16-5-2.

"I am probably more on the aggressive side of things, but I wanted to give our guys a chance and we were pretty close," said Lumberjacks coach Parker Burgess about his decision to pull Callaghan with lots of time left on the clock. "We fought hard. It was a good weekend all around and we have a lot to build on."

The Lumberjacks have yet to beat the mighty Steel this season. They are 0-3-1 against the hated rival from Chicago, but the games have gotten a lot closer since Muskegon's 5-1 loss in their home opener back in late September.

The Jacks lost in overtime in Chicago last Friday, then led 3-1 before falling last Saturday.

"They are the standard in first place and all that other jazz, but we are building to get those guys further down the road, and we are not far off," Burgess said.

The Jacks got off to a great start, scoring the first two goals of the game. Rexine scored his fourth of the season at 4:13 of the first period, then Callow found the net at 6:44 on a Muskegon power play.

Chicago answered quickly with a pair of first-period goals from Michael Hagens at 10:16 and Thor Byfuglien at 15:49, and the score was tied 2-2 heading into the second period.

The Steel's Jack Harvey scored the only goal of the second period at the 2:11 mark and Chicago led 3-2 heading into the third.

Chicago's Macklin Celebrini added a goal at 13:04 of the third period, putting the visitors up by two, and at least a few Jacks fans probably headed for the exits, thinking the meaningful action was over.

They were wrong.

Burgess pulled Callaghan for an extra attacker with four minutes left and the strategy paid dividends. Callow scored his second goal at the 16:40 mark, Chicago answered with a long-empty net goal by Michael Emerson at 17:44, then Rexine struck again for Muskegon at the 18 minute mark.

The Jacks fought desperately over the last two minutes to send the game to overtime but fell just short.

The game reflected the Jacks' tendency all season to battle back from deficits.

"It speaks to the character of the kids and how much they believe," Burgess said. "There is absolutely no quit in this group and that makes me excited about what is to come."

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Players Mentioned

#20 Michael Callow: F; 6' 4"; 1/15/2004

#29 Conor Callaghan: G; 5' 11"; 3/2/2003

Players Mentioned

#20 Michael Callow
: 6' 4"; 1/15/2004
: F

#29 Conor Callaghan
: 5' 11"; 3/2/2003
: G

Players Mentioned

#20 Michael Callow

#29 Conor Callaghan

Players Mentioned

#20 Michael Callow

#29 Conor Callaghan