MUSKEGON, MI – Just one night after a tough loss in Plymouth, MI against the US National Team the Muskegon Lumberjacks (16-10-1-1, 34 pts.) used a heavy goal scoring output to defeat the Youngstown Phantoms (17-7-2-0, 36 pts.) on Friday night.
 
It didn't take long for the Lumberjack's offense to strike. After a two-on-one rush was shut down by the Youngstown netminder in the opening seconds the Jacks got a second one led by Joe Connor (Amherst, NH). Skating into the offensive zone on the far side of the ice Connor moved towards the net as he sent a pass across the slot to Hunter Anderson (Manhattan Beach, CA). Waiting out the defenseman Anderson took a second before sending a pass back to Connor who tapped the puck to the back of the open net. Captain Cody Croal (North Branch, MN) picked up the secondary assist with a stretch pass out of the defensive zone to start the rush just 47 seconds into the game.
 
Muskegon doubled up the lead at the 8:44 mark with a goal from Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA). Linemate Teddy Spitznagel (New York, NY) sent the puck below the goal line for Galanek to receive. The future UMass Amherst Minuteman carried the puck out towards the near side circle before turning a firing a shot underneath the glove of the netminder for his 8^th goal of the season.
While on a power play the 12:27 mark the Lumberjacks made it a 3-0 game. Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN) took control of the puck while inside the near side faceoff circle while moving towards the middle of the ice. Matvei Gridin (Kurgan, RUS) took Boisvert's spot on the near side and hammered home a one-time blast when Boisvert slid the puck back his way.
 
Before the end of the first period Youngstown was able to get on the board and make it a 3-1 game heading into the first intermission. Hunter Ramos carried the puck into the offensive zone on the far side and carried the puck down the wall all the way to the nearside of the net to attempt a wrap around. The puck didn't go to the back of the net, but instead to the far side of the crease where Sam Ranallo was waiting to tap it across the goal line.
 
Both teams scored twice in the second period with Youngstown striking first just 3:39 into the frame. Braiden Clark carried the puck into the offensive zone and sent an area pass behind the Jack's defense for Brandon Svoboda to receive. While moving right to left across the crease Svoboda pulled a toe drag to his backhand and roofed the puck for his 3^rd goal of the season.
 
Just moments later at the 3:28 mark the Lumberjacks responded. Defenseman Bauer Berry (Grand Forks, ND) scored his first goal of the season when a pass from David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) was deflected straight to his stick in the slot.
 
A red hot Ty Henricks (Mission Viejo, CA) added another goal to extend the Jacks lead to 5-2 at the 8:07 mark after Gridin had carried the puck into the offensive zone and towards the front of the net. Gridin slid the puck back door to Henricks to finish the quick rush.
 
Again, the Phantoms finished the period with a late goal. This time with just 44 seconds remaining until the break. Clark took a shot from the blue line that was redirected into the back of the net by Tomas Machu. After a quick break to review the goal, the officials deemed it good, and the score was 5-3 heading into the third period.
 
 Two straight goals to start the third tied the game up for the Phantoms with the first coming 2:52 into the frame. While on a power play Jack Willson fired a shot from the middle of the blue line that found its way through the net front traffic and into the net.
 
Daniel Jencko tied the game with a power play goal of his own at the 9:33 mark. Kuzma Voronin won the first faceoff of the power play to Andrew Strathman who slid the puck to the middle of the ice for Jencko to one-time to the back of the net.
 
After surrendering a 3-goal lead the Lumberjacks were not going to allow the Phantoms to steal a win at Trinity Health Arena. The result was three straight goals to pick up the win. First, at 12:48 the Jacks were on a power play and applying pressure on the Youngstown penalty killers. Boisvert got the puck on the near side wall and took a step towards the middle before sending a shot to the back of the net to regain the Muskegon lead.
 
Just a few minutes later at the 15:35 mark Cooper Pierson (Zionsville, IN) scored a highlight reel goal by banking the puck off the goalies mask and into the net while moving across the goal line to make it a 2 goal lead.
 
Croal added an empty net goal in the final moments of the game to make it 8-5 and the Lumberjacks came away with the victory.
 
Miles Roberts (Cosa Mesa, CA) (1-0-0-0) earned the win in his first USHL start of the season with 29 saves on 34 shots sent his way by the Phantoms. Colin Winn started the game for Youngstown, but only lasted 28 minutes before he was replaced, allowing 5 goals on 12 shots. Owen Bartoszkiewicz (11-5-1-0) entered in relief and earned the loss despite allowing just 2 goals on 14 shots against.
 
The teams close the weekend series tomorrow night, Saturday, December 30^th at 7 p.m. EST. It is the New Years Eve Kickoff game at Trinity Health Arena. You can purchase tickets at muskegonlumberjacks.com or by visiting the box office located inside the Van Dyke Mortgage Convention Center on game day.