KEARNEY, NE – For the first time since the 2019-2020 season the Muskegon Lumberjacks (8-7-1-1, 18 pts.) paid a visit to the Viaero Center for a date with the Tri-City Storm (10-6-1-0, 21 pts.). Joe Connor (Amherst, NH) found the back of the net twice, but the Jacks offense couldn't keep up with Tri-City eventually falling 6-3.
 
The first period was back and forth as the team traded goals in the opening frame to take a 2-2 tie into the first intermission. Tri-City opened the scoring 5:26 into the contest on the back of a goal from Vladislav Lukashevich, but Muskegon answered with a powerplay goal from Patrick Raftery (Centennial, CO) at the 9:35 mark. Raftery got the puck below the goal line at the far side of the net from Ethan Whitcomb (St. Catherines, ON, CAN) and popped out front to the side of the crease. Raftery forced the puck past the netminder and into the back of the net for his second goal of the season, first as a Lumberjack. Easton Young (Grand Rapids, MN) picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
 
Tri-City responded with a goal of their own at the 11:18 mark from Artemi Nizameyev to regain the lead 2-1. Before the end of the period the Jacks picked up a second power play goal. This time, Connor dove across the blue line and kept the puck in the offensive zone by making a shortstop-esq play. Connor got back to his feet and moved towards the net before beating the goalie for the fifth time this season.
 
Following the break the Storm scored a pair of power play goals in the second period to make it a 4-2 game heading into the third period. Ryan Smith scored first at the 7:25 mark with assists from A.J. Lacroix and Jake Rozzi. Then, at the 8:33 mark just over a minute later Cameron Briere found the back of the net with a second power play goal. Nizameyev and August Falloon had the assists on the goals.
 
Already leading 4-2 at the start of the third period Tri-City scored another two goals to make it 6-2. Rozzi scored first at the 11:11 mark on an assist from Brandt Harper followed by a goal from Falloon with helpers from Nizameyev and Lacroix.
 
Connor scored his second goal of the game, again on the power play with just under five minutes to play in regulation. Young gave Connor the puck on the near side wall. Connor walked towards the middle of the ice and ripped a shot to the top corner for his sixth goal of the season. The comeback effort wasn't enough and the Jacks fell 6-3.
 
The teams close out the weekend series tomorrow night, Saturday November 18^th at 6:05 pm CST (7:05 pm EST). Catch the action on the official live stream partner of the USHL, FloHockey. A free radio call of the game is also available on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
 
Follow the Jacks on social media @MuskegonJacks for game updates and more. For schedules, scores, updates, and more visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.