CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Things weren't looking great for the Muskegon Lumberjacks (36-20-1-1, 74 pts.) after a quick penalty just 4 seconds into the game sent them to the box the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (23-28-5-2) built up tons of momentum. Despite allowing the first goal of the game the Jacks responded with 7 straight to pick up the 7-1 win.
 
The RoughRiders opened the scoring at the 4:08 mark just after the Jacks killed off their first penalty kill of the game. Amine Hajibi carried the puck into the offensive zone and centered the puck to the front of the net. A shot from Erik Kald was turned aside, but the rebound went straight to the stick of Hajibi on the far side of the net. From the bottom of the circle Hajibi potted the puck to the back of the net to make it 1-0 Cedar Rapids.
 
It was all Lumberjacks from there. Matvei Gridin (Kurgan, RUS) got the party started by tying the game 3:14 into the second frame. Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN) gave the puck to David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) in the middle of the slot. Klee's shot beat the netminder, but trickled towards the goal line. Before the defense could react Gridin jumped on the puck and slammed it to the back of the net.
 
Just over a minute and a half later the Jacks took the lead on the back of a power play goal from Joe Connor (Amherst, NH). Ethan Whitcomb (St. Catherines, ON, CAN) slid the puck to the far side of the net for Boisvert who waited a beat before firing a pass backdoor to Connor.
 
At the 9:50 mark the Jacks added another goal. This time Cameron Aucoin (Chicago, IL) sent a pass to Justin Solovey (Holmdel, NJ) at the top of the slot. Solovey gave the puck to Whitcomb and moved towards the net in time to receive the return pass at the top of the crease for an easy shot on goal to make it 3-1 Muskegon.
 
Before the end of the period the Jacks struck again to make it 4-1 with just over 5 minutes left in the frame. Teddy Spitznagel (New York, NY) got the puck down the nearside wall and to the corner where Wilson Dahlheimer (Big Lake, MN) met it and tapped it to the front for Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA). As he moved across the front of the crease Galanek tucked the puck between the legs of the goalie for his 11^th goal of the season.
 
The third period was just as dominant for the Jacks with another 3 goals. Whitcomb scored the first at the 6:38 mark with another power play goal. Gridin gave the puck to Connor on the far side who then sent it across the way for Whitcomb to one-time to the back of the net.
 
At the 15:53 mark Solovey netted a short handed goal while on a breakaway thanks to a stretch pass from Boisvert to clear the zone. Connor then added one more goal to the total after coming out of the bock and beating the goalie short side high.
 
Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) (16-8-0-0) earned the win with 24 saves on 25 shots. Over the weekend Gadzhiev went 55 for 57 and had just a 1.00 GAA through the two games. Rudy Guimond (12-12-3-1) earned the loss with 22 saves on 29 shots against.
 
The Jacks are back at home next week for a home and home series against the USA Hockey NTDP Under-18 Team. For tickets visit muskegonlumberjacks.com. Catch the action 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 follow the Jacks on social media @MuskegonJacks on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), and @MuskegonLumberjacks on TikTok.