YOUNGSTOWN, OH – The vibes are high for the Muskegon Lumberjacks' (30-15-0-1, 61 pts.) bus ride back home Sunday night after completing a 3-game sweep of the Youngstown Phantoms (32-11-3-2, 68 pts.) at the Covelli Centre with a 5-2 win.
 
Puck luck was in favor of the Lumberjacks throughout the first period, helping them take a 3-0 lead into the locker room for the first intermission. With his first career USHL goal, Will Schlechtweg (Goshen, NY) gave the Jacks a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the action. Anthony Thomas-Maroon (St. Louis, MO) and Louis Jonerheim (Lund, SWE) worked to bang home a rebound at the top of the crease, but Schlechtweg was the one to get it to the back of the net after finding the puck in the feet of the players.
 
A pair of goals followed for the Jacks just 10 seconds apart from each other. Adam Belusko (Cesis, LAT) carried the puck into the offensive zone on the far side of the ice and ripped a shot over the shoulder of the goalie for his 3^rd goal of the season. Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) picked up the assist on the goal to extend his point streak to 8 games.
 
Jean-Samuel Daigneault (Saint Michel, QC, CAN) picked up the puck off the ensuing center ice faceoff and wrapped it around the boards from the far side of the neutral zone. The Youngstown goalie skated behind the net to stop the puck, but was unsuccessful in his efforts, allowing Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) to send the puck into the empty net. Blanchard finished the weekend with 4 points on 2 goals and 2 assists in the three-game series.
 
One goal came in the second period for the Phantoms. 1:43 into the period, Jack Willson slid a pass to the near side circle for Kazumo Sasaki to blast a one-timer to the back of the net and bring the score back to 3-1.
 
Halfway through the third period, the Jacks regained their three-goal lead with a goal from Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE). Forcing a turnover at the Muskegon blue line, Norringer bowled over a Phantom, leaving possession of the puck for Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD). Sanderson sent a pass across the neutral zone to Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN). Who led a rush into the Youngstown end of the ice. Norringer joined Stewart on the 2-on-1 rush and received a pass across the slot that he one-timed to the back of the net.
 
With just under four minutes to play, Youngstown pulled their goalie, looking to get back into the game, but Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) put the game on ice with assists from Novotny, and Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz (Montreal, QC, CAN).
 
A late power play in the final seconds of the game allowed Jack Willson to score Youngstown's second goal of the game, but it was a moot point as there wasn't enough time for a real comeback.
 
Doyon-Cataquiz (1-0-0-0) looked phenomenal in the crease for the Lumberjacks in his USHL debut with 32 saves on 34 shots, and his first career USHL point with an assist. Tobias Trejbal (22-7-3-0), normally lights out, allowed 4 goals on 20 shots and earned the loss on his personal record.
 
Next week, the Lumberjacks welcome the Sioux City Musketeers to Trinity Health Arena for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday night. Tickets start at just $15. Get yours by visiting muskegonlumberjacks.com, or by calling 231-799-7000.