GENEVA, IL – Just 24 hours after a commanding 6-3 win over the USNTDP Under-18 team the Muskegon Lumberjacks (3-1, 6 pts) picked up another commanding win this time 7-4 on the road against the Chicago Steel. (1-3, 2 pts).
Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) and
Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN) each netted a pair of goals in the exciting victory.
Jack Galanek opened the scoring 13:14 into the first period by capitalizing on a Chicago turnover in front of their own net.
Hunter Anderson (Manhattan Beach, CA) controlled the puck in the far side corner before it was gained by a Steel player.
David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) met them at the side of the net and lifted the stick to allow Galanek an opportunity at the puck. For the former Shattuck St. Mary's player it stands as his first career USHL goal.
Chicago tied the game back up before the end of the first period while on a power play. Joey Delgreco carried the puck into the offensive end over the near side of the blue line. Mick Thomspon was able to sneak behind the Jack's defense and redirect a pass from DelGreco into the back of the net for his first goal of the campaign.
The second period brought 5 goals between the Jacks and Steel with 4 of them belonging to Muskegon. First, at the 1:09 mark of the frame Boisvert scored his first goal of the game.
Ethan Whitcomb (St. Catherines, ON, CAN) sent the puck to the blue line for defenseman
Owen Keefe (Saugus, MA) who fired a rebound producing shot on net. Boisvert was in the area to corral the rebound and bang it home past the netminder.
Anderson was able to add another goal to the Jacks total just over two minutes later also by finishing off a rebound this time on a shot from Klee. Then, at the 7:22 mark
Cody Croal (North Branch, MN) finished off another rebound thanks to a shot off the rush from
Joe Connor (Amherst, NH).
The Steel netted a second powerplay goal to make it a 4-2 game at the 14:28 mark when DelGreco finished a back door pass from Thompson deep in the Muskegon zone. Boisvert didn't waste any time regaining the 3-goal lead. Whitcomb drew a penalty at the side of the Chicago net, and as he was falling was able to play a pass into the slot for Boisvert who pulled a toe drag around a Steel defenseman then bring the puck back to his forehand before lifting it over the outstretched netminder. For Boisvert it was his fourth goal in the two games over the weekend.
The teams tied the third period with a pair of goals each. Chicago scored the first two at the 3:44 and 6:31 marks. Delgreco scored his second of the game on an unassisted play for the first while Owen Tylec found the back of the net for the first time this season for the second.
Galanek scored his second goal of the game at the 13:40 mark of the third period. Galanek found possession on the near side of the neutral zone and carried the puck all the way to the offensive zone faceoff circle before using a snapshot between the legs of the netminder to score the goal.
Justin Solovey (Holmdel, NJ) added the final goal of the game with just under 6 minutes remaining while on the power play. Croal held the puck inside the near side faceoff circle while Solovey popped out to the far side for the one-time opportunity. The captain recognized the passing lane and sent it across for Solovey to bang home for his second goal early in the season.
Starting and lasting the whole game in the crease for the Lumberjacks was
Paxton Geisel (Estevan, SK, CAN) (2-0) making 23 saves on 27 shots sent his way in the winning effort. His counterpart was Louka Cloutier (0-2) who allowed 7 Muskegon goals while facing 35 shots.
The Jacks and Steel faceoff again on Saturday, October 7
th at Trinity Health Arena as part of the Flaunt Your Flannel Festival. The outside event on Western Avenue is open to the public with no cost to attend and kicks off at 4 pm. Then, head inside the Arena at 7 pm for the game. Tickets for the game can be purchased online by visiting
www.muskegonlumberjacks.com or by visiting the Box Office located inside the VanDyke Mortgage Convention Center on game day.
Can't make it to the game? We've got you covered. Every Muskegon Lumberjacks game this season can be found on the official live stream partner of the USHL FloHockey, and on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr. Follow the Jacks on social media @MuskegonJacks for game updates and more!
