MUSKEGON, MI – It was a cold day in Muskegon on Friday, but as the sun went down the energy inside Trinity Health Arena heated up as the Muskegon Lumberjacks (19-7-2-3, 43 pts.) took on the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-17 Team (7-16-1-0, 25 pts.) in front of a raucous crowd. The energy played in the Jacks favor leading the team to a 3-2 win over the visitors.
 
The newest Lumberjack, Ivan Ryabkin (Balakovo, RUS) opened the scoring for the Lumberjacks just 7:03 into the contest. A strong forecheck from Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) forced an NTDP defenseman to throw the puck up the far side boards in their own zone where Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) met it at the top of the circle. With Ryabkin waiting in front Christ sent a pass over to his new teammate and watched as Ryabkin faked out the goalie and lifted a shot to the back of the net. At the time it was Ryabkin's third goal in just over 3.5 periods of play on the weekend.
 
Before the end of the period the NTDP struck home a power play goal to even the score and carry a 1-1 tie into the first intermission. At the 16:52 mark Logan Stuart held the puck on the top of the near side circle and sent a pass to the corner on the same side of the ice for Casey Mutryn stood. Mutryn popped towards the front of the net and tried sending a shot off the pad, but when the rebound came right back to him he was able to tap it around the outstretched leg and across the goal line to tie the game back up 1-1.
 
In the second period the fans were brought back to the feet by one of the hottest lines in the USHL. David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) along with Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) and Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) have been producing in the offensive zone in bunches as of late for the Jacks, and it continued with Klee's team leading 13^th goal 4:49 into the middle frame.
 
Klee sent the puck from the near side corner towards the front of the net where Nestrasil directed it to Galanek at the top of the crease. Rather than shooting Galanek watched as the netminder slid across towards the far side, and sent a pass back to the near side for Klee who had joined the party. It was an easy target for Klee to hit allowing him to regain the lead 2-1 for Muskegon.
 
Later in the period another power play goal came for the NTDP. AT the 10:07 mark of the frame Jamie Glance won a faceoff on the near side of the Jacks zone and slid a pass across the ice to Sammy Nelson on the far side of the slot. After lining up as a defenseman for the draw Nelson was left alone when he found open space, and used it to rip a rocket of a one timer to the back of the net.
 
A power play goal for the Jacks followed just three minutes later off the stick of Nestrasil. Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB) sent the puck from the near side wall to the side of the net for Nestrasil who in one motion moved towards the bottom of the slot and lifted a shot into the cage for his second point of the night, and 10^th goal of the season.
 
The Program only mustered 6 shots on goal in the final period comeback effort, and Stephen Peck (New York, NY) turned them all aside enroute to his 8^th win of the season (8-3-1-2). Luke Carrithers (0-7-0-0) still searches for his first career USHL win, but played well with 40 saves on 43 shots fired by the Lumberjacks.
 
Next up for the Jacks is a three game weekend series at home against the Youngstown Phantoms. Games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday next week features three great promotions, and the return of the Jacks World Junior Championship players. For game times, tickets, and more visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.