MUSKEGON, MI – Saturday night marked the 25^th game of the season for the Muskegon Lumberjacks (20-5-0-0, 40 pts.) who took to the ice looking for their 20^th win and 40^th point in the standings. A pair of goals each from Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB) and Jake Stuart (Manhattan Beach, CA) helped lead the way for a 5-3 win over the Fargo Force (14-9-0-1, 29 pts.). With the win, the Jacks earned the weekend and season-long series sweep.
 
Both teams found the back of the net twice in the first period, starting with Lawrence and the Jacks 4:43 in. While on a McKenzie Price Insurance Power Play, Lawrence played pass at the top of the Fargo zone with Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN). As Lawrence moved towards the middle of the blue line, Stewart slid him a pass for a one-timer to the back of the net. Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) provided a perfect screen at the top of the crease, taking the goalie's vision away on the shot.
 
Stuart scored his first goal of the game and season just under five minutes later. Stewart caused a turnover at the Lumberjacks' blue line, sending the puck into the air and across the ice, where Stuart knocked it down with his chest. With possession of the Puck, Stuart made his way into the offensive zone and fired a shot off the post and across the goal line to make it 2-0 Jacks.
 
A pair of goals from the Force tied the game 2-2 before the end of the first period. Both goals came off the stick of Graham Jones. The first at 11:56 was assisted by Brady Zugec and Graham Greeder. The second was a power play goal at 15:41, assisted by Axel Lofgren and Stepan Cerny.
 
Lawrence opened the scoring in the second period with his second goal of the game, and 8^th of the season. Branko Vukas (Dyer, IN) received the puck on the far side of the blue line and kept it in the offensive zone, allowing him to fire a shot on net. Lawrence was standing at the side of the crease in the right spot to redirect the shot past the goalie to make it 3-2.
 
Patrick Tolan and the Force responded with a goal two minutes later at the 8:36 mark to re-tie the game 3-3. Jacob Sagadin picked up the lone assist on the goal.
 
As if two goals on his stat line were enough, Lawrence mixed in an assist on Stuart's second goal of the game. With just under seven minutes to play in the second period, Lawrence took possession of the puck on the far side of the slot. Rather than shooting, he waited a beat, allowing Stuart to move to a high-scoring area. Lawrence gave the puck to Stuart, allowing for a clean look at the goal and a 4-3 Jacks lead.
 
Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) scored an empty net goal in the final minute of the game to put a little bit of distance between the Jacks and Force in the final moments of the game. In a very unselfish move, Benson slid a pass to Blanchard on the far side of the ice, giving him an easy look at the goal.
 
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (14-2-0-0) had another strong game for the Lumberjacks with 22 saves on 25 shots against and extends his league lead in wins. Alan Lendak (4-6-0-0) earned the loss on his record with 4 goals allowed on 33 shots against.
 
Next week, the Jacks close out the first half of the season on the road in Kearny, NE, for a pair of games against the Tri-City Storm. The games on Friday and Saturday at the Viaero Center are available on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.