YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Every week in the USHL regular season seems to be more important than the last, but week 21 might take the cake. A three-game series at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, OH, brings the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Youngstown Phantoms together for games 6, 7, and 8 of the 9 game season series.
 
On the season, the Jacks hold the advantage with a 3-1-0-1 record, winning the only match up of the year in Youngstown 2-0 a few weeks back. Over the last month or so, the teams have had different experiences. Muskegon is finally healthy and looking to get the energy going, while Youngstown is in the midst of its most dominant stretch of the season.

Week 21 Preview: Three Games, Three Opportunities

While the results haven't been there for the Lumberjacks lately, after a tough 1-3 record against the Chicago Steel over the last two weeks, people around Muskegon have to be optimistic about how the team is playing. The theme of the losses on Sunday, 2/01, and Saturday, 2/07, was bad starts. The Sunday afternoon in Illinois featured a 3-0 deficit for the Jacks at the end of the first period. On Saturday night, the Jacks trailed 3-0, less than 10 minutes into the game. Despite the lopsided scorelines, the Jacks dominated both games down the stretch, bringing the score to within a single goal on both days before empty netters from the Steel put the comeback efforts to rest. Over the 4-game span, the Lumberjacks out shot the Steel 126-98, with the biggest difference in the third period, with a 49-32 lead.
 
This weekend series gives the Lumberjacks a chance to use the built-in rivalry against the Phantoms as a chance to get the fire burning early in the game and pair the strong finishes with a quality start to the game. Easier said than done, given Youngstown's recent form.
 
8-2-0-0 in their last 10 games, Youngstown is coming off a weekend sweep over the Western Conference's Lincoln Stars. Last time on home ice, the Phantoms swept the USNTDP Under-17 Team, outscoring them 20-1 in the two games.
 
Cooper Simpson sits in second place of the USHL with 58 points and third with 26 goals. His line mate, Ryan Rucinski, is not too far behind in 7^th with 47 points. Goal tending has been a bright spot for Youngstown with Tobias Trejbal top 3 of the USHL in wins, goals against average, and save percentage, the three major goal tending statistics.
 
Muskegon is no slouch, though. The return of Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) has benefited the players on the ice. Novotny has points in each of his first 5 games back from injury, totaling 7 points in that span. Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) also has 7 points over that span, including 6 goals in his last 5 games. Similar to Trejbal, Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) also ranks in the top 3 in the USHL in major statistical categories.
 

Countdown to 500: Lumberjacks at 493 Wins All-Time

Another step towards history came this past week with the 493^rd win in Lumberjacks USHL history. So far, we have looked at the seven coaches in Lumberjacks history and the top goalies of the 49 that have played on the lake shore. This week, we take a look at the top point producers in Black and Gold over the years.
 
In the 15 years of Lumberjacks hockey in the USHL, 13 skaters have reached the 100-point mark. Only one is a defenseman. We also rank the top 5 Lumberjacks in points per game due to the fact that junior hockey careers are longer for some than others.
 
100 Point Scorers in Lumberjacks History:

1. Daniil Gushchin (2018-21), 147
2. Ethan Whitcomb (2021-24), 128
3. Matej Paulovic (2013-16), 119
4. Jack Williams (2018-22), 116
5. Quinn Hutson (2020-22), 115
6. Sacha Boisvert (2022-24), 113
7. Collin Adams (2014-17), 119
8. Cody Croal (2021-24), 111
9. Mikael Hakkarainen (2016-19), 107
10. Matvei Gridin (2022-24), 104
11. Jacob Guevin (2019-22), 102 *Defenseman
12. Matt Iacopelli (2013-15), 101
13. Anthony Del Gaizo (2015-18), 100

 
Top 5 Lumberjacks, Points per Game:

1. Rem Pitlick (2015-16), 1.59
2. Andrei Svechnikov (2016-17), 1.21
3. Melvin Novotny** (2025-26), 1.20
4. Griffen Molino (2014-15), 1.12
5. Quinn Hutson (2020-22), 1.11

5. Ivan Ryabkin (2024-25), 1.11

*Minimum 25 games played
**Active player

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. February 13 | 7:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms
Sat. February 14 | 6:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms
Sun. February 15 | 4:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms
Fri. February 20 | 7:00 pm EST | vs Sioux City Musketeers
Sat. February 21 | 6:00 pm EST | vs Sioux City Musketeers
 

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.