MUSKEGON, MI – 3,500 fans made their way to Trinity Health Arena on Saturday to catch Beach Night, and the Muskegon Lumberjacks (28-13-3-4, 63 pts.) close out their season long series against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (21-24-1-2, 45 pts.). The fans were treated to an exciting game finishing with a 2-1 Lumberjacks win.
 
The Jacks took a 1-0 lead in the first period thanks to a goal from Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) 11:21 into the game. Stewart worked the puck to the far side corner of the zone where Kurt Gurkan (Darien, CT) applied pressure on the forecheck. Gurkan forced the puck free towards the area behind the net where Stewart picked it up and popped out front. Able to find a shooting lane to the back of the net, he gave the Jacks a 1-0 lead with his 12^th goal of the season.
 
With no goals in the second period, the score stayed 1-0 in favor of the Jacks until they added another goal in the third at the 7:26 mark. David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) won a faceoff in the Jacks zone to Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorrette, QC, CAN) on the near side of the ice. Veilleux chipped the puck up to Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) on the far side of the neutral zone on a clean break out pass. Galanek continued the puck up the ice with a buttery pass to Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) in the offensive zone. MVB made a nice move around the lone defenseman before lifting a shot to the back of the net.
 
Later in the period the RoughRiders were on a 5-on-3 power play and cashed in on the opportunity with a goal from Heath Nelson at the 11:09 mark of the frame. The power play goal was the only one of the game for Cedar Rapids, falling 2-1 on the back end of the weekend series.
 
Stephen Peck (New York, NY) (14-5-2-3) put together another strong performance for the Jacks with 28 saves on 29 shots against finishing the weekend with 44 saves on 46 shots against. AJ Reyelts (16-16-1-2) earned the loss with two goals against on 15 shots fired by the Jacks.
 
Next week the Jacks hit the road for a two-game weekend set against the Dubuque Fighting Saints. For game times, broadcast information, and more, visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.