CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Looking to pick up all four points on the weekend the Muskegon Lumberjacks (7-3-2-1, 17 pts.) took to the ice at ImOn Ice Arena against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (4-8-0-1, 9 pts.).
Chase Stefanek (Yorba Linda, CA) scored a pair of goals while
Stephen Peck (New York, NY) made numerous big saves to help the Jacks to a 4-2 win.
Stefanek opened the scoring just 5:32 into the game while the Jacks were on the power play.
Luka Radivojevic (Trencin, SK) held the puck at the middle of the blue line and sent a pass to the far side wall for
Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN). Looking to score a goal of his own Stewart fired a one timer towards the net, but it was blocked by a kneeling defenseman. Fortunately for Stefanek the rebound came right to him on the near side, and he took a one timer that beat the net minder for his third goal of the season.
At the 13:14 mark the Jacks added another to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Stewart took the puck to the far side corner where he was pinned against the wall by a Rider.
Davis Borozinskis (Liepaja, LAT) dropped down and picked up the puck before firing a pass to the middle of the slot for
Ryan Aaronson (Highland Park, IL). Again, it was a one timer that beat the goalie, but this time it was the first career USHL goal for Aaronson.
The second period featured a pair of goals for Cedar Rapids to tie the game back up before the third period. Daniel Astopovich took the puck away from a Lumberjack in the Muskegon zone and fired a shot that Peck turned aside. The rebound however went straight to Kole Hyles to bang home at the 5:45 mark. Ten minutes later another turnover in the Jacks zone saw Nick Romeo work down to the side of the net and feed a pass to the slot for Charles Blanchard who had the whole net to shoot at.
Another power play goal came for the Lumberjacks in the third period. This time
Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorrette, QC, CAN) gave the puck to
Jack Galanek in the middle of the blue line. Galanek ripped a slap shot through the screen in front set by
David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) to regain the Jacks lead 3-2 with just over four minutes to play.
Stefanek added his second goal of the night with an empty netter from his own blue line to give the Jacks a 4-2 lead with just 3 seconds remaining helping Muskegon to the weekend sweep in Cedar Rapids.
Peck (3-1-1-1) earned the win with 22 saves on 24 shots fired his direction. AJ Reyelts (3-3-0-1) earned the loss. He made 22 saves on 25 shots sent his way.
Next up for the Jacks is a weekend series at home next week against the Omaha Lancers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday at Trinity Health Arena. Tickets can be purchased at muskegonlumberjacks.com or at the box office located inside the VanDyke Mortgage Convention Center.
