MUSKEGON, MI – A dominant first period led to a dominant game for the Muskegon Lumberjacks (24-11-3-4, 55 pts.) who picked up a commanding 5-3 win over the visiting Tri-City Storm (18-19-2-1, 37 pts.) at Trinity Health Arena on Friday night.
 
No one scored in the first period, though the Jacks boasted a 13-5 lead on the shot chart at the end of the opening period. The momentum shifted to start the second period where the Storm scored a pair of goals in quick succession to take a 2-0 lead. The first came at the 7:36 mark off the stick of Lincoln Hjelm. It was an easy tap in on the back door thanks to a pass from Paul Bloomer.
 
Then, just a minute later the Storm added another while on a power play. Shaun McEwen carried the puck up the middle of the ice and into the Lumberjacks zone before his shot was blocked in traffic. As the puck bounced around the low slot Carson Pilgrim jumped on the rebound to fire across the goal line for his 6^th goal of the season.
 
Halfway through the frame the Jacks found themselves on a power play of their own and capitalized on the opportunity to bring the score back to within one. Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) sent the puck to the top of the blue line for Danny Klaers (Minnetrita, MN). His shot was deflected by a Storm player in the middle of the slot providing a rebound off the pad of the netminder. Teddy Spitznagel (Bloomfield Hills, MI) was waiting at the top of the crease to tap the puck to the back of the net for his 8^th goal of the season.
 
The third period started in a big way for the Lumberjacks just :43 seconds in with a power play goal on the opportunity left over from the second period. Klaers picked up his second assist of the game when he fired a shot towards the net. On it's way towards the goal Galanek got a stick on the puck and redirected it past the netminder to tie the game 2-2.
 
A minute later the Jacks added another one. Ivan Ryabkin (Balakovo, RUS) played the puck from below the goal line to the middle of the slot where Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) picked it up at the top of the circles. Berzkaln's shot was barely seen as it rocketed past the goal line to give the Jacks their first lead of the game.
 
Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) added a goal at the 6:25 mark to give the Jacks a bit of insurance. Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) got the puck to the front of the net from the far side of the crease, but it was stopped by the Tri-City goalie. The rebound made it's way across the crease to the near side where Christ pounced on it to tap it across the goal line. Following a brief video review it was confirmed that Christ had scored his 7^th goal of the season to give the Jacks a 4-2 lead.
 
Galanek added his second goal of the game with an empty netter at the 17:41 mark from his own zone. The goal gave the Jacks the eventual winning score of 5-2.
 
Stephen Peck (New York, NY) (11-5-2-3) earned the win with 29 saves on 31 shots against. Kyle Jones (1-3-0-0) earned the loss with 34 saves on 38 shots sent his way.
 
Tomorrow night the Jacks and Storm close the weekend series at Trinity Health Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. Get tickets and broadcast info by visiting muskegonlumberjacks.com.