CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA – After opening up the 2025 Dicks Sporting Goods Fall Classic with a 12-round shootout win on Wednesday, the Muskegon Lumberjacks (2-0-0-0, 4 pts.) took to the ice on Thursday night against the Sioux City Musketeers (0-1-1-0, one pt.), looking for their second win of the event. Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) found the back of the net two times, including the overtime winner, to help the Jacks to a 3-2 (OT) win.
 
Sioux City opened the scoring in the first period with a pair of goals in a 24-second span. Matej Teply scored the first goal at the 12:21 mark of the period after Trey Jefferis slid a pass from the far side of the zone to Teply on the near side. Just seconds after the ensuing center ice faceoff, Max Anderson found the back of the net for his first goal of the season to make it 2-0 in favor of the Musketeers.
 
The effort to come back and tie the game started in the second period for the Lumberjacks when Novotny scored his first career USHL goal 14 minutes into the frame. Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) fired a shot from the middle of the blue line that was blocked by a defender between the hashmarks. Despite the shot being blocked, the opportunity wasn't over for the Jacks thanks to a fortuitous bounce straight to Novotny's stick. The Buffalo Sabres draft pick ripped a shot to the back of the net to cut the deficit in half.
 
In the third period, the Jacks scored another goal to tie the game and force overtime for the second straight game. Ty Bergeron (Flat Rock, MI) held the puck on the near side of the Sioux City blue line and tapped it towards the middle of the ice for Anthony Thomas-Maroon (St. Louis, MO) on his way into the zone. Thomas-Maroon carried the puck towards the middle of the slot and used a backhand saucer pass to find Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) back on the near side of the zone. Blanchard roofed his shot for his first goal as a Lumberjack and to tie the game. For Bergeron and Thomas-Maroon, the assists are their first points in their Junior Hockey careers.
 
With 20 seconds to play in the game, Sioux City's Dallas Vieau found himself on a breakaway with the game on his stick. Vieau made a move to the far side of the net, but was met by a desperation save by Will Keane (West Bloomfield, MI) to keep the puck out of the net and the Jacks hopes for a win alive.
 
Rather than going to another shootout, the Lumberjacks secured the win with a goal from Novotny 1:50 into the sudden-death period. Danny Klaers (Wayzata, MN) slid the puck to Novotny on the near side of the Sioux City zone, sending him down the wall and towards the net. Using his body to gain inside position, Novotny carried the puck all the way down to the net and across the crease before sending a shot over the outstretched netminder.
 
Keane (1-0-0-0) earned his first career Junior Hockey win with 22 saves on 24 shots against. Bjorn Bronas (0-1-1-0) earned the loss on his record with 27 saves on 30 shots.
 
After a longer than usual break between games, the Lumberjacks return home to Trinity Health Arena for the Annual Flannel Fest home opener and 2025 Clark Cup Championship banner raising before taking on the Green Bay Gamblers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on October 26^th after the Flannel Fest street party on Western Avenue.
 
Get your tickets while they are available at muskegonlumberjacks.com. The Flannel Fest street party features live music, axe-throwing, great food and drinks, and so much more. The event is free to attend and is open to the public.