PLYMOUTH, MI – The Muskegon Lumberjacks (4-2-2-1, 11pts.) took to the ice on Saturday night at USA Hockey Arena looking to pick up their third win in a row and a weekend sweep over the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 Team (3-5-0-0, 6 pts.).
 
Just like last night the Jacks' offense went off in the second period to take a three-goal lead into the second intermission. It took Teddy Spitznagel (Bloomfield Hills, MI) just :58 seconds to open the scoring in the second with a redirection in front. Danny Klaers (Minnetrista, MN) took a shot from the blue line that Spitznagel got his stick on and knocked to the back of the net.
 
Just :28 seconds after that the Jacks struck again. This time it was Cooper Pierson (Zionsville, IN) cashing in for his first goal of the season. Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) worked his way with the puck to the top of the crease. Despite his opportunity being shut down Pierson followed up and deposited the puck to the back of the net.
 
A little more time passed before the Jacks scored again, though not much. At the 5:20 mark Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) gave the puck to Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) on the far side of the slot. Lawrence waited a beat and then used a wicked wrist shot to score his team leading 4^th goal and 8^th point of the season.
 
Just one goal came in the third period, and it belonged to the Lumberjacks. The third first career USHL of the weekend for the Jacks came when Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) found the puck amidst a sea of bodies at the top of the crease. Nestrasil found a way to navigate the puck through the traffic and to the back of the net to give the Jacks the eventual winning score of 4-0.
 
Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) (4-1-1-0) earned the shutout win by stopping all 13 shots sent his way by the NTDP. The shutout win is his second of the season. Kaenan Smith (0-2-0-0) earned the loss with 4 goals allowed on 37 shots fired by the Lumberjacks.
 
With the season opening 9 game road trip coming to an end the Lumberjacks finally make their home opener on Friday, October 25^th against the Chicago Steel. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Trinity Health Arena. Fans are invited to come down to the Arena at 4:30 p.m. for the start of Flannel Fest featuring live music, axe throwing, food, and more on Western Avenue.