MUSKEGON, MI – Trailing by one in the late stages of the second period the Jacks (31-20-1-1, 64 pts.) scored the game tying goal, but it was called off. They then did the same thing in the opening stages of the third, but again it was called off. The comeback effort was never completed and in the end Muskegon fell 3-1 at the hands of the Dubuque Fighting Saints (34-12-3-3, 74 pts.)
 
Dubuque opened the scoring in the first period with a goal from Teddy Merrill after a bad turnover below the goal line in the Muskegon zone sent the puck to his stick in the slot. Merrill had plenty of time and space to rip a shot into the back of the net just 3:35 into the contest.
 
Almost three quarters of the second period passed before anybody else found the back of the net, but when someone did it was Joona Vaisanen for Dubuque at the 13:16 mark of the frame. Erik Pahlsson made a nice move as he cut towards the net, but his initial shot was turned aside. With the rebound moving towards the far side corner Pahlsson met the puck a the side of the net and slid it to Vaisanen at the top of the crease. With essentially the whole net to shoot at the defenseman scored his 8^th goal of the season to make it 2-0 in favor of the Fighting Saints.
 
The Jacks got on the board just two minutes later thanks to a gritty shift in the offensive zone. Xavier Veilleux (L'Anncienne-Lorrette, QC, CAN) carried the puck down the near side of the Dubuque zone before centering a pass for Justin Solovey (Holmdel, NJ). Whether his goal was a shot or a pass Solovey faked out the goalie as the puck came back towards the near side of the slot. David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) used all of his 6'4 frame to reach out for the puck and slide it across the goal line.
 
Before the end of the period the Jacks found the back of the net again. This time though the goal would be overturned. The puck was pushed towards the net where it ricocheted off a body and up into the air. Teddy Spitznagel (New York, NY) deflected the puck off the top portion of his stick shaft and into the net. With the initial call on the ice being no goal the officials determined there was not enough evidence to overturn the call on the ice, and the Jacks remained trailing by one at the end of the second period.
 
The third period started out well for the Jacks. Already on a power play that carried over from the second they were able to build momentum in the Dubuque zone. A second penalty sent the Jacks on a 5-on-3 power play looking to tie the game *again*. Cody Croal (North Branch, MN) pushed the puck to the back of the net in a similar manner to Spitznagel. The call on the ice was a goal, but this time there was enough evidence to overturn the call, and again the Jacks game tying goal was ripped away from them.
 
An empty netter for Noah Powell put the icing on the cake in the final minute of regulation to give Dubuque their conference leading 34^th win of the season.
 
The Jacks remain at home next weekend with a pair of games against the Western Conference's Sioux City Musketeers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night. For tickets visit muskegonlumberjacks.com. The games can also be found on the official live stream partner of the USHL, FloHockey, and for free on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
 
For schedules, scores, updates, and more visit muskegonlumberjacks.com. Check out the Jacks on social media @muskegonjacks on Instagram and X, @muskegonlumberjacks on TikTok for special content!