MUSKEGON, MI – Game 30 of 30 at Trinity Health Arena in the regular season came Saturday night between the Muskegon Lumberjacks (36-22-1-1, 74 pts.) and USNTDP Under-18 Team (16-39-3-2, 37 pts.). A late goal in regulation helped the Lumberjacks force overtime, earning a crucial point in the standings despite falling in the end 5-4 (OT).
 
Two goals came in the first period, with one on each end of the ice. The NTDP scored first 6:51 into regulation to take a 1-0 lead. While on a 3-on-1 rush into the Lumberjacks zone, Sammy Nelson sent a pass to the far side and Jamie Glance. As fast as the puck was on his stick, it was off it on the way to Parker Trottier on the near side of the ice. Thanks to the pretty passing, Trottier had a nearly empty net to shoot at for his 8^th goal of the season.
 
The Jacks responded late in the frame with an odd-man rush of their own. Anthony Thomas-Maroon (St. Louis, MO) left the penalty box and immediately found possession in the neutral zone. Joining Thomas-Maroon on the rush up the ice, Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) received a pass on the far side of the slot and fired a shot to the back of the net.
 
Five more goals came in the second period between the two teams, with the advantage belonging to the NTDP, though it was the Lumberjacks who struck first to take a 2-1 lead. Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) took a big hit at his own blue line, but cleared the puck down the middle of the ice. Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) followed up by taking away possession from the NTDP defender and moving into the offensive zone on a breakaway before lifting the puck to the back of the net.
 
The next two goals belonged to the NTDP. First, Lukas Zajic put a rebound on the far side of the crease to the back of the net to re-tie the game 2-2 at the 6:52 mark. Then, Wyatt Cullen sent a shot through the five-hole just under 2 minutes later to give his team a 3-2 lead.
 
Just over halfway through the period, Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) led a rush up the far side of the ice and into the NTDP zone. Using a screen in the low slot, Sanderson snuck a shot past the goalie for his 17^th goal of the season, tying the game 3-3.
 
Another pretty passing play set up the NTDP for a chance to take the lead back and carry it to the locker room for the second intermission. Carter Meyer sent a pass from the near side of the Jacks' zone to Glance, who emphatically fired a one-timer to the back of the net to make it 4-3.
 
It took nearly the entirety of the third period, but the Lumberjacks tied the game 4-4 with just 1:43 left in regulation. Adam Beulsko (Kosice, SVK) kept the puck in the offensive zone on the far side of the blue line and chipped a shot towards the net that was deflected to the back of the net by Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE), sending the crowd at Trinity Health Arena into a frenzy. After a video review, the goal was confirmed, and the Jacks forced overtime to earn a very important point in the standings.
 
1:58 into the overtime period, Glance scored his second goal of the game, his third point of the contest, by firing a shot to the back of the net to give the NTDP a 5-4 OT win.
 
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (28-13-1-0) earned the overtime loss on his record while making 23 saves on 28 shots against. Brady Knowling (8-5-0-1) earned the win with 36 saves on 40 shots against.
 
Next week, the Lumberjacks close out the USHL regular season with a pair of games on the road against the Dubuque Fighting Saints at ImOn Arena. The games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday night on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.