GENEVA, IL - In search of win 500, the Muskegon Lumberjacks (34-20-0-1, 69 pts.) took the ice at Fox Valley Ice Arena for one final time in the regular season against the Chicago Steel (25-22-6-2, 58 pts.). In a game where the Lumberjacks never trailed, they picked up their milestone victory.

While the opening frame saw no scoring, it was a dominant performance for Muskegon, who outshot Chicago 9-4 and controlled the pace of play.

In the second period, Muskegon newcomer Max Cullen (Moorhead, MN) was called for a high-sticking penalty, putting the penalty killers to work for the first time of the evening. The Lumberjacks went to work, and Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) picked up his fourth short-handed goal of the season on a two-on-one rush with Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) 10:04 into the frame. The Chicago Steel responded with a goal four minutes and 16 seconds later thanks to James Scantlebury, setting off the home team's teddy bear toss. The period would come to a close with the Lumberjacks holding a commanding 20-9 shot differential through 40 minutes.

The third period would see Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) hit double digits for goals 3:07 into the final 20 minutes of play with a seeing-eye shot on an odd-man rush. Muskegon's next goal would come off the stick of Lumberjacks defenseman Adam Belusko (Kosice, SVK), walking the blue line and some skill with his parents in attendance and 14:18 to go. Chicago's Aydn Merrick would pull the Steel within one, with goaltender Louis Felix-Charrois earning his first USHL point on a secondary assist. It would be too little, too late for the home team as the buzzer would sound with a 3-2 final in favor of Muskegon.

Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (26-11-0-0) earned his 26^th win of the season, making 15 saves on 17 shots as Charrois stopped 23 of 26 shots in the loss.

The Lumberjacks return home to Trinity Health Arena for a pair of home games against the Madison Capitols on Friday (7:10 PM EDIT) and Saturday (6:10 PM EDT).