MUSKEGON, MI – After taking to the ice at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI on Friday night the Muskegon Lumberjacks (7-2-0-0, 14 pts.) and USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-17 team (4-6-0-0, 8 pts.) traveled to the west side of the state for the back end of the weekend series. Muskegon won both matchups including Saturday night by a score of 6-3.
The program took a 1-0 lead in the first period on the back of a shorthanded break away goal. Cole McKinney stripped a Lumberjacks defenseman of the puck in the neutral zone and worked his way into the offensive end of the ice before ripping a shot into the top corner of the net for his 3
rd goal of the season.
From there the Lumberjacks scored three straight to close the first period and carry a lead into the first intermission.
Matvei Gridin (Kurgan, RUS) started the party just 19 seconds after the NTDP goal by working his way past the defense and lifting a shot to the back of the net. For Gridin it was his second power play goal of the weekend.
At the 12:39 mark of the period
Ethan Whitcomb (St. Catherines, ON, CAN) scored his first goal of the game to give the Jacks a 2-1 lead. Gridin cut across the slot moving towards the near side of the zone and left the puck for Whitcomb who was moving the opposite direction. Whitcomb took the puck and fired a shot back the way he was coming from.
With just 4 seconds left in the period the Jacks found themselves back on the power play.
Cody Croal (North Branch, MN) who finished the night as the third star with 3 assists sent the puck across the zone to Gridin to one-time to the back of the net.
Whitcomb opened the scoring in the second period for the Jacks with a goal just 26 seconds into the frame. Gridin and Croal worked together the get the puck to Whitcomb at the offensive blue line. Whitcomb twirled between two USA defensemen and kept possession as he moved towards the net and tapped it to the back of the net.
The Program scored twice in response to make It a one goal game heading to the third. First, Conrad Fondrk found the back of the net at the 14:47 mark followed by Will Moore at the 18:19 mark while on the power play.
In the third period Muskegon scored twice starting with a strike from
Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN) 4:35 into the frame. Whitcomb held the puck below the goal line after receiving a pass from Gridin. Whitcomb slid the puck to Boisvert in soft space in the slot to one time past the USA net minder.
Putting the icing on the cake
Ty Henricks (Mission Viejo, CA) scored his third goal of the season by finishing a play set up by
David Klee (Castle Rock, CO), and
Hunter Anderson (Manhattan Beach, CA) with just over 7 minutes gone in the third period.
Paxton Geisel (Estevan, SK, CAN) (4-0-0) remains perfect in the USHL this season making 35 shots on 38 shots sent his way for the win. Harrison Boettiger (0-3-0) earns the loss allowing 6 goals in 28 shots against.
Muskegon is back in action with a 3 game home series next week against the visiting Green Bay Gamblers. Friday and Saturday night puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. while Sunday has a 3 p.m. start time. For tickets visit MuskegonLumberjacks.com or on game day visit the Box Office located inside the VanDyke Mortgage Convention Center.
Can't make it to the game? We've got you covered! FloHockey is the official live stream partner of the USHL. You can also get the game for free on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
