MUSKEGON, MI – The Muskegon Lumberjacks (26-14-1-1, 54 pts. 2^nd) will take to the ice on both sides of the state of Michigan in a home-and-home series against the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 Team (13-22-1-1, 28 pts. 8^th).
 

THE MATCHUP

The 2023-24 season has gone two different directions for the Lumberjacks and NTDP. The Jacks have enjoyed success in bunches with numerous multi-game win streaks including the current stretch for four straight games in the win column. The program meanwhile are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 10 point gap between them and the seventh place Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
 

ABOUT LAST WEEKEND

It was a party at Trinity Health Arena last weekend as the Jacks took on the Youngstown Phantoms in front of two large crowds on Friday and Saturday night. Friday's game saw the Jacks jump out to a two-goal lead in the first period with goals from Cooper Pierson (Zionsville, IN) and Cody Croal (North Branch, MN). Despite a strong first period the Lumberjacks allowed a pair of goals in the second before splitting goals in the third with the Phantoms to force overtime. Both teams had quality opportunities in the sudden death period, but with both goalies standing strong the teams needed a shootout to decide a winner. All three Lumberjacks shooters Ty Henricks (Mission Viejo, CA), followed by Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN), and Matvei Gridin (Kurgan, RUS) scored while Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) stopped a Phantoms shot to clinch the win.
 
Saturday was just as even as the teams traded goals through the first two periods, but heading into the third the Lumberjacks held a 3-2 advantage. Youngstown came within just one goal in the third, but an insurance marker from David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) along with an empty net goal from Boisvert helped the Jacks to their fourth straight win by a 5-3 scoreline. The win clinched not just the weekend sweep, but also the season series win for the Lumberjacks with three games at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, OH remaining on the schedule.
 
Earning the wins on both nights Gadzhiev earned the USHL's Goalie of the Week award for the second straight week. Gadzhiev went 2-0 with a 2.88 GAA and .922 Sv%.
 
The 17's didn't have any games over the weekend but took on the Phantoms in a home and home series back on January 26th and 27th. Youngstown won both games starting with a 2-1 win on Friday the 26th in which Harrison Boettiger turned aside 31 of the 33 shots he faced. On Saturday Joey Slavick earned the start and earned the 5-1 loss despite making 34 saves on the 39 shots he faced. Cullen Potter scored both NTDP goals on the weekend.
 

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: SHIKHABUDTIN GADZHIEV

One of the newest faces in the Lumberjacks locker room has been attracted the most attention as of late, though not many people know exactly who Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev is. A native of Makhachkala, Russia "Shika" moved to Slovakia when he was 4 years old "I started to play hockey when I was 6 with Slovan Bratislava. Every year I wanted to be in a better league with older guys. The development was really great playing in Slovakia." Though it wasn't a Slovakian or Russian goalie the Gadzhiev says was his idol. Instead, it was two time Stanley Cup Champion, and Czechia born Dominik Hasek. "I liked his style. The way he was active in the net was always attractive to me" he said.
 
Maybe the most noticeable thing about Gadzhiev is his personality. Off the ice it is a rare sight to see anything other than an ear-to-ear smile on his face, but once the puck drops it's all business for the netminder. "When you are going to be a goalie you need to have strong communication." "It is a team effort, and you need to help your teammates when they are helping you."
 
As for his transition from playing in Europe to the USHL Gadzhiev said "Both are hard. Here it is faster with more 2-on-1's and breakaways." The extra action heading his way is no issue for him. In fact, Gadzhiev very clearly said "I like it." Hard or not the transition appears to have been a smooth one as the back-to-back USHL goalie of the week has brought some much-needed stability for the Jacks between the pipes.
 
Much like the majority of young hockey players Shika says his goal is to play in the NHL. For now, though there is one thing on his mind. Helping his team as best as he can in the quest for a Clark Cup Championship.
 

ATOP THE TABLES: JACKS AS LEAGUE LEADERS

With the amount of fire power, the Lumberjacks have on the offensive side of the puck there is no wonder why four players find themselves around the top of the USHL League Leaderboard for multiple categories.
 
Matvei Gridin leads the Lumberjacks with 50 total points this season which is second in the USHL while Ethan Whitcomb sits nearby in 6th with 46 points, and Sacha Boisvert just one spot below with 45 points.
 
27 of Boisvert's points have come off of goals which puts him in second in the USHL while Boisvert sits in 8th with 20 goals of his own.
 
For Whitcomb most of his points have come off assists. 33 of them to be exact. While Whitcomb is currently in a tie for third in the league, he is just one assist behind the league lead of 34. Gridin also finds himself in the top 10 of this category with 30 assists which puts him in 8th in the league.
 
While the offense has been a sight to see this season in Muskegon there is one defenseman that has been lights out in the Jacks zone this season. Ryan Koering, the 2005 birth year from Eden Prairie, MN is currently second in the USHL with a plus, minus rating of +31. Koering held the top position for more than 5 weeks while he and his defensive partner Xavier Veilleux have solidified themselves as a top pairing in the USHL.
 
OVER THE AIRWAVES
Join Voice of the Lumberjacks Ezra Gennello and catch the action all season long with the USHL's official video streaming partner FloHockey, and with the free radio stream on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
 

UPCOMING GAMES

Fri. February 17 | 7:00 pm EST | vs USNTDP Under-17 Team
Sat. February 18 | 4:00 pm EST | at USNTDP Under-17 Team
Fri. February 23 | 7:05 pm CST | at Green Bay Gamblers
Sat. February 24 | 6:05 pm CST | at Green Bay Gamblers
Sun. February 25 | 3:05 pm CST | at Green Bay Gamblers
 
FOLLOW THE JACKS
Be sure to follow the Muskegon Lumberjacks on social media!
Facebook - Muskegon Lumberjacks
Twitter - @MuskegonJacks
Instagram - @muskegonjacks
Tik Tok - muskegonlumberjacks
 
ABOUT THE MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The club's goal is to create an environment where student-athletes develop into successful young men both on and off the ice, which includes playing the game the right way while keeping up with their studies in the classroom and staying actively involved in the West Michigan community. The organization is committed to providing quality, affordable, and top-notch family entertainment while providing positive role models for the youth and the local community.