MUSKEGON, MI – Week 1 of the USHL season and the 2024 Dick's Sporting Goods Fall Classic has come and gone so it's time for the Muskegon Lumberjacks to start the longest road trip of the season with a pair of games against the Chicago Steel and Madison Capitols. Two opponents the Jacks found lots of success against last season it's a great opportunity to get back on track after an 0-1-1-0 record in Pittsburgh.
 

The Match up

There is no team the Lumberjacks found more success against last season than the Chicago Steel. An off year of sorts for the Eastern Conference powerhouse, the Steel fell in all 7 games against the Lumberjacks. With that said both teams look different heading into 2024-2025. For starters both teams have seen the departures of key contributors on the offensive end of the ice. Sacha Boisvert (CHI) and Matvei Gridin (CGY) became the first players in Muskegon history to be selected in the first round after playing the previous year with the Jacks. Michael Hage (MTL) joined them as a fellow first round selection at the 2024 NHL Draft this past June.
 
The expectations for the Steel this season are closer to those in the past with a top tier goal tending room featuring Louka Cloutier and Jack Parsons and a group of key returners headlined by Ben Yurchuk mixed with newcomers like Charlie Pardue. If the Lumberjacks want to be perfect against the Steel for a second year in a row things are going to be much more difficult this time around.
 
Saturday's opponent the Madison Capitols are another team the Lumberjacks enjoyed playing against last season. A 4-2 record against the Caps in 2023-24 included a pair of wins in overtime and a shootout. The loss of 6^th round NHL pick Austin Burnevik will hurt the Madison offense, but smooth skating defenseman Jet Kwajah eases the pain as he prepares for his first season in the USHL as a tender signing. Another talented goal tending room features Caleb Heil, a former Sioux Falls Stampede and NTDP net minder.
 
Fans can expect a pair of tightly contested games on Friday and Saturday as the Jacks battle for their first win of the 2024-25 season.

About Last Weekend

The script didn't go the Jacks way at the Fall Classic. Despite strong starts in both games the second half of each matchup went the way of the other team, and the Jacks left Pittsburgh with one out of a possible four points.
 
Saturday afternoon the Jacks took on the defending Clark Cup Champion Fargo Force. Davis Borozinskis (Liepaja, LAT) gave the Jacks a 1-0 lead after the first period with a power play goal late in the frame. Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) added a goal in the second period, but the majority of opportunities in the middle and late stages of the game belonged to Fargo. Reid Daavettila recorded a hattrick for the Force in the 4-2 win.
 
Looking to earn a weekend split the Jacks then took on the Sioux Falls Stampede on Sunday afternoon. Again, the Jacks jumped out to a quick start with a goal from Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) just 1:16 into the game. Van Blaricom added a second goal late in the first period to give the Jacks a 2-0 lead.
 
A pair of goals in the second period for the Stampede came from Bryce Ingles and John McNelis to tie the game for the third period. Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) regained the lead for Muskegon early in the third, but a late goal from Reid Varkonyi forced overtime where the Stampede picked up the win. Alexandr Rybakov scored the game winner 2:48 into the sudden death period.
 

Over the Airwaves

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.
 
This season Jacks cans can tune into the Lumberjacks Hockey Network Pregame Show on Facebook Live 30 minutes prior to every Lumberjacks game this year.
 

Upcoming Games

Fri. September 27 | 8:05 pm ET | at Chicago Steel
Sat. September 28 | 8:05 pm ET | at Madison Capitols
Sat. October 5 | 8:05 pm ET | at Chicago Steel
Fri. October 11 | 8:05 pm ET | at Waterloo Black Hawks
 

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.