MUSKEGON, MI – The end of the 2024–25 USHL regular season delivered one of the tightest finishes in recent memory, with the top four teams in the Eastern Conference all vying for the No. 1 seed in the Clark Cup Playoffs. This season is shaping up much the same. As the league enters a pivotal Week 25, seeds two through five are still in the hunt for a coveted first-round bye.
Currently sitting in fourth place, the Muskegon Lumberjacks return home to host the Madison Capitols for a two-game set Friday and Saturday. Muskegon will look to keep pace in the crowded standings, while Madison battles to stay ahead of Chicago in the race for the final playoff spot.
Week 25 Preview: Every Point Matters
This time of year, it's easy for teams to look back and point to games that slipped away. For the Muskegon Lumberjacks, weekend sweeps at Tri-City and Cedar Rapids come to mind. Even so, the Jacks remain in the driver's seat for home-ice advantage, with every point carrying added weight as the regular season winds down.
The Madison Capitols find themselves in a similar spot. Losers of six of their last ten, they hold a narrow lead over Chicago for the final playoff position. Both the Jacks and Caps are in dire need of points, while this weekend marks the third and fourth meetings of the season between the two teams, following a long gap since their first match-ups in November at Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena in Middleton, Wisconsin.
Muskegon took the opener, 3–2 in a shootout.
Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) and
Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) each scored in regulation, while
Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) netted the lone goal in the shootout to seal the win. The following night, Madison responded with a 4–2 victory.
Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) and
Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) scored for the Jacks, but a three-goal surge from the Capitols proved to be the difference.
Both teams are anchored by top-tier goal tending. Muskegon's
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) is coming off his league-leading fifth Goalie of the Week honor after a two-win weekend against Chicago. Madison counters with Caleb Heil, a 2025 NHL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Offensively, the edge leans toward Muskegon. Stewart,
Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE), and
Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) are all producing at better than a point-per-game pace. For Madison, Tyden Bergeson, fresh off a Minnesota State Class AA High School Championship, leads the way, averaging over a point per game with 19 points in 18 appearances.
Lumberjacks Affiliates at USA Hockey National Championships
The Muskegon Lumberjacks will be well represented at the 2026 USA Hockey National Championships later this month. Six players are set to compete for a 16U AAA national title, while another will chase a 15O championship in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Ty Raap and Peyton Schneider will make the trip across Lake Michigan with Honeybaked after capturing the MAHA State Championship. Dasean Willmarth, a former Honeybaked player, joins the field with the Woodbridge Wolfpack, a rising program that claimed the New Jersey state title. Cameron Anderson will also compete at the 16U level after winning the Illinois state championship with the Reapers Hockey Club.
Connor DeBoer represents perennial powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary's out of Minnesota, while Jeshan Hayer and Sioux Falls Power bring representation from South Dakota.
At the 15O level, Lumberjacks tender Zaac Charbonneau and Mount St. Charles enter the national tournament as Rhode Island state champions.
Congratulations to all the Lumberjacks on their state titles, and best of luck as they compete for a USA Hockey national championship.
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. March 20 | 7:00 pm EDT | vs Madison Capitols
Sat. March 21 | 6:00 pm EDT | vs Madison Capitols
Mon. March 23 | 7:00 pm EDT | at USNTDP Under-18 Team
Fri. March 27 | 7:00 am EDT | vs USNTDP Under-18 Team
Sat. March 28 | 7:05 pm EDT | at USNTDP Under-18 Team
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.
