MUSKEGON, MI – The question heading into Saturday night was how the Muskegon Lumberjacks (7-1-0-0, 14 pts.) were going to respond after a loss the night before to the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 Team (2-5-2-0, 6 pts.). Any doubts were quickly laid to rest when the Jacks put a thumping on the 17's with a 6-0 win to close the weekend.
Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) recorded his first career USHL hat trick in the win, and started the goal scoring in the first period to give the Jacks a 1-0 lead with 11:30 to play in the frame.
Danny Klaers (Wayzata, MN) quarter-backed the power play unit from the top of the blue line, sliding a pass to
Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) on the far side before getting a pass back in the middle of the ice. Klaers turned and sent a pass to the nearside, where Berzkalns ripped a one-timer to the back of the net.
In the second period, Berzkalns added his second goal of the game on a very similar play just 2:38 into the period. This time, when Christ got the pass from Klaers, he didn't give it right back. Instead, he fired a pass through the middle of the zone to Berzkalns across the ice for another one-timer power play goal.
Early in the third period,
Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) joined the goal-scoring party with his first of two goals.
Reese Lantz (Hartland, WI) held the puck in the near corner of the NTDP zone and waited for Benson to make his way across the blue line from the Muskegon bench. Benson corralled the perfect pass from Lantz and pulled a toe drag around a defenseman before sending a shot past the USA netminder.
Berzkalns followed up with his third goal of the game just under two minutes later.
Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) tapped a pass ahead to Christ on his way into the offensive zone. Christ was joined on the rush by Berzkalns on the other side of the slot. A saucer pass over the stick of the defenseman landed just in front of Berzkalns for a third one-timer goal to make it 4-0.
Benson cashed in again at the 11:06 mark of the period, again as the third man high on a rush to the offensive zone. As
Jake Stuart (Manhattan Beach, CA) cut towards the net, he brought the defensemen with him, allowing Benson some space at the top of the zone, where
Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) met him with a pass. Benson aught the pass and took two steps before sending a shot into the top corner of the net.
In the final second of the game,
Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) buried the sixth goal of the game while the Jacks were on a 5-on-3 power play. Benson was looking for his third goal of the contest, but when his shot was blocked, Blanchard was there to clean up the rebound at the side of the net.
Will Keane (West Bloomfield, MI) (3-0-0-0) stopped all 21 shots that were sent his way for his first career USHL shutout. Muskegon native Eli Winters (0-3-0-0) earned the loss on his record with 41 saves on 47 shots against.
Next week, the Jacks take on the Dubuque Fighting Saints in a battle between the top two teams in the USHL. Friday and Saturday night, the teams take to the ice at Trinity Health Arena for the right to stay at the top of the league standings. Tickets are available at muskegonlumberjacks.com.
