MUSKEGON, MI – As the 2024-25 season is winding down, the race at the top of the USHL's Eastern Conference Standings is getting closer and closer. A massive 3-game sweep for the Muskegon Lumberjacks (34-13-4-4, 76 pts.) over the Green Bay Gamblers (25-28-1-2, 53 pts.) in the driver seat for the top spot in the conference.
 
The Jacks' offensive outpouring was high in all three games over the weekend, with 6 goals in each and a total 18-7 goal differential. Sunday afternoon the Jacks didn't waste much time finding the back of the net. The first stoppage of the game came a whopping 4 minutes into the game when Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) sent the puck to the back of the net for his fifth of six points in the series.
 
Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) got the puck deep in the offensive zone and found a way to pop it to the front of the net for Nestrasil at the top of the crease. As he pulled the puck towards his backhand he lifted it into the top corner of the net.
 
A few minutes later, at the 8:04 mark, the Jacks doubled up the lead with a goal from Chase Stefanek (Yorba Linda, CA) as he entered the offensive zone, Stefanek cut across the lost and ripped a shot over the goalie's shoulder for his 12^th goal of the season.
 
Green Bay got on the board at the 11:44 mark, thanks to a goal from the USHL league leader Will Zellers. His 41^st goal of the season came off assists from Geno Carcone and David Green for their lone goal of the afternoon.
 
Before the end of the first period, Finn McLaughlin (Canmore, AB, CAN) scored his first goal as a member of the Lumberjacks while on a power play at the 15:42 mark. Galanek got McLaughlin the puck at the top of the blue line. A wicked wrist shot beat the goalie and the Jacks took a 3-1 lead into the locker room.
 
Three more goals came in a very physical second period. With 7 periods of hockey already this weekend the matchup reached its boiling point in the second period of Sunday's matchup to the tune of 125 combined penalty minutes.
 
The first goal came halfway through the period when Ivan Ryabkin (Balakovo, RUS) tipped a shot from Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) to the back of the net for his 5^th point of the weekend and 15^th goal of the season.
 
Three minutes later, Galanek secured his third point of the game with a goal after Nestrasil slid him a beautiful pass to the front of the net. For Galanek, the 3-point performance brings his season total to 46. Nestrasil, meanwhile, picked up his fourth consecutive multi-point game and is in the running for the USHL Forward of the Week award.
 
The final goal of the game came at the 15:43 mark of the second for Carter Sanderson. Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorrette, QC, CAN) fired a shot off the back wall providing a rebound straight to the stick of Sanderson on the near side of the net. A quick shot beat the goalie to the near post and snuck to the back of the net.
 
Stephen Peck (New York, NY) (18-5-2-3) put himself in the running for a second straight USHL Goalie of the Week award with his 2^nd win of the weekend. His 23 saves on 24 shots brought his weekend statistics to 2-0, 2.00 GAA, and .923 SV%. Roberto Henriquez (3-9-0-2) earned the loss with six goals on 26 shots.
 
Next week, the Jacks welcome the Madison Capitols to Trinity Health Arena for a three-game series over the weekend. For game times, tickets, and more information, visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.