MIDDLETON, WI – After falling 4-1 on Friday night the Muskegon Lumberjacks (5-2-0-0, 10 pts.) took to the ice on Saturday night looking to pick up a weekend split against the Madison Capitols (5-1-1-0, 11 pts.). Captain Cody Croal (North Branch, MN) led by example recording 4 points in the 5-2 win.
 
Madison opened the scoring with a pair of goals to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game. Finn Brink opened the scoring at the 2:33 mark with assists from James Hong and Nate Murray. Five minutes later at the 7:15 mark, Austin Burnevik netted his fourth goal of the season to double the lead.
 
Muskegon was off and running from there. Croal scored his first goal of the game, third of the season after getting a pass from across the offensive zone from Easton Young (Grand Rapids, MN) at the 12:34 mark. Croal picked up his second point of the night this time with an assist on a goal by Joe Connor (Amherst, NH). The 2005 birth year moved into the offensive zone and used a toe drag release to fire the puck into the top corner of the net. To tie the game 2-2 ahead of the first intermission.
 
Croal opened the scoring in the second period with his second goal, third point of the contest. While shorthanded Croal found himself behind the defense on a mini breakaway. Somehow finding a way to pull the trigger on a shot Croal produced a rebound for Connor to take a chance at. The Madison net minder was able to turn aside the opportunity, but a loose puck in in front gave Croal another opportunity to find the back of the net.
 
Later in the middle period Hunter Anderson (Manhattan Beach, CA) knocked down a breakout pass in the middle of the offensive zone and ripped a shot to the top corner for his fourth goal of the season to make it a 4-2 game after 40 minutes.
 
Just one goal came in the third period, and it belonged to Muskegon. Just two and a half minutes into the frame Croal picked up his second assist, fourth point of the contest by making a nice move in the offensive zone and centering the puck for Ty Henricks (Mission Viejo, CA). Looking for his second goal of the weekend Henricks was able to find the back of the net with a quick release in the slot.
 
Lumberjacks net minder Paxton Geisel (Estevan, SK, CAN) (3-0-0-0) started the game and played all 60 minutes making 18 saves on the 20 shots fired by the Capitols. Carson Musser (2-1-1-0) stopped 27 of the 32 shots fired by the Lumberjacks.
 
Next up for Muskegon is a home and home series against the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 team next week. Friday night in Plymouth, MI, Saturday in Muskegon. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT. Both can be found on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
 
For tickets visit muskegonlumberjacks.com or visit the box office located inside the VanDyke Mortgage Convention Center on game day. Follow the Lumberjacks on social media @muskegonjacks for game updates and more!