MUSKEGON, MI – After putting an end to the season's longest losing streak of 3 games in week 14, the Muskegon Lumberjacks now look to keep the winning ways going to start the new year with a weekend series against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
The Lumberjacks' stifling defense is in for a tough task against one of the highest scoring teams in the league. The last time the teams met came back in week 10 at ImOn Arena in Cedar Rapids. The RoughRiders handed the Jacks their first two-loss weekend of the season with a 6-2 and 5-4 final in favor of the home team.
On home ice this season, the Lumberjacks are nearly unbeatable with a 15-1 record, setting the tone for what should be an exciting weekend of hockey at Trinity Health Arena.
Week 15 Preview: New Year, New Streak
2025 was memorable to say the least for the Lumberjacks. The first-ever Clark Cup Championship in Lumberjacks history came 20 years after the last Muskegon Fury title in the UHL. After an intriguing offseason left many junior hockey teams scratching their heads, wondering why players were leaving their programs, the Lumberjacks were in the minority, welcoming more high-end talent to Trinity Health Arena. The start of the 2025-26 season was just as dominant as the end of the last campaign. The first team to 40 points in the standings, the Jacks ended 2025 by signing
Zaac Charbonneau (Gatineau, QC, CAN) to a tender agreement for the 2026-27 season.
The Jacks also made sure to end the year off with a win after a rough patch dominated most of December. Now, the Jacks look to make it a streak with the first week of action in 2026. A "familiar" face comes to town in the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Despite being an Eastern Conference opponent, the Jacks play the Riders only 4 times per season. Last year, the Jacks swept the 4-game series and then handed Cedar Rapids a first-round exit from the Clark Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 series win.
The home ice advantage should also play into the Lumberjacks favor. On home ice, the Jacks hold a 23-8-3-0 record all time record against the Riders. With Princess and Heroes Night slated for Friday, and Throwback Night with a specialty jersey on Saturday, large crowds are expected for both games, which multiplies the advantage.
Numbers-wise, the Jacks have been one of the strongest teams in the USHL in their own zone. Allowing the second fewest goals against this season, the recipe for the Jacks' success this year is scoring three goals and shutting things down in their own end. The Jacks are 20-2-0-0 when scoring three or more goals. When held to less than three, they are only 1-5-0-0.
Cedar Rapids, meanwhile, has been in quite a few high-scoring affairs. With the second-best offense in the league, the Riders have no issue finding the back of the net. It's the other end of the ice that gives them issues. Their 3.43 goals against per game is 10
th in the USHL.
There are still quite a few players missing from the Jacks' lineup due to injuries and the IIFH World Juniors. Still, with healthy bodies back in the lineup and the addition of
Will Schlechtweg (Goshen, NY), the Jacks are looking to flip the script and the results from last time out in Cedar Rapids.
Junior Hockey is where young hockey players develop more as players and people than at any other stage of their career. For
Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) this weekend series against Cedar Rapids provides an opportunity to look back at the last 3 seasons and how much he has grown since his first game in the USHL as a Rider vs now a 20-year-old about to make the jump to the NCAA.
"Obviously, I feel this one a little bit," said Stewart. "It means a little bit more coming from there and spending a season in that town." He continued.
Stewart made his USHL debut on March 24
th as an affiliate player against the Lumberjacks in Muskegon, scoring against his future team. After spending the entire 2023-24 season and starting the 2024-25 season in Cedar Rapids, Stewart was traded to Muskegon, helping the Jacks win the 2024-25 Clark Cup Championship.
This season, Stewart has been leading the charge for the Jacks in the offensive zone with a team-leading 16 goals, setting a career high in just 27 games played. Following the end of the season, Stewart will make the jump to the NCAA, where he will play college hockey at Dartmouth College in the ECAC.
Over the Airwaves
FloHockey is the official live stream partner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Follow along all season long on FloHockey, or with a free internet radio feed available on Mixlr and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network, with Voice of the Jacks,
Ezra Gennello.
Thirty minutes to puck drop every game day, tune into the Pregame Show on Facebook Live. New for this season, the whole pregame show will be available on FloHockey before all Lumberjacks home games.
Upcoming Games
Fri. January 2 | 7:00 pm EST | vs Cedar Rapids
Sat. January 3 | 6:00 pm EST | vs Cedar Rapids
Fri. January 9 | 8:05 pm EST | at Sioux Falls Stampede
Sat. January 10 | 7:05 pm EST | at Sioux Falls Stampede
Follow the Jacks
Be sure to follow the Muskegon Lumberjacks on social media!
Facebook - Muskegon Lumberjacks
Twitter - @MuskegonJacks
Instagram - @muskegonjacks
TikTok – @muskegonlumberjacks
About the Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The club's goal is to create an environment where student-athletes develop into successful young men, both on and off the ice, including playing the game the right way, maintaining their academic focus in the classroom, and staying actively involved in the West Michigan community. The organization is committed to providing high-quality, affordable, and top-notch family entertainment while serving as positive role models for the youth and local community.
