CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Just as they had done last year, the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders took to the ice for the first game of the Clark Cup Playoffs against each other. Again, like last year, the Lumberjacks took a stronghold, winning the first game of a best-of-three series.
Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) scored a pair of goals, helping the Jacks to a 3-2 win.
After the Lumberjacks had a goal called off in the first period, the Riders broke the ice to take a 1-0 lead 8:20 into the action. Carter Ernst carried the puck up the nearside of the ice, leading a 2-on-1 rush into the Lumberjacks zone. Ernst skated down to the bottom of the circle before sliding a pass across the slot to Nick Romeo for an easy backdoor tap-in, making it 1-0.
An Auto Owners Insurance power play halfway through the second period helped the Lumberjacks tie the game 1-1.
Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) won the faceoff on the far side of the ice to
Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE), who picked up possession and carried the puck to the middle of the blue line. Norringer gave the puck to
Adam Belusko (Kosice, SVK) on the near side wall, who then slid it down to Stewart at the side of the net. Stewart popped out front and sent a pass across the net to Novotny for a back-door tap-in just 8 seconds into the advantage.
The tied score didn't last long before the RoughRiders regained their lead just a minute and a half later. Jason Musa sent the puck up the middle of the ice towards the Jacks' zone, where Connor Davis used his full reach to tap the puck into the top corner of the net to make it 2-1.
Before the end of the period, the Lumberjacks scored again to tie the game 2-2 through 2 periods. A scrum for a loose puck at the top of the Cedar Rapids crease saw
Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) find the puck and slide a pass to
Teddy Lechner (Bloomington, MN) for a one-time blast from the blue line. Lechner's shot was redirected by
Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) on its way to the back of the net.
One goal came in the third period; it was Novotny's second of the game and the game-winner. Norringer carried the puck into the offensive zone and cut across the middle of the slot towards the near side. On his way across the blue line, Norringer dropped a pass for Novotny, leading to a wicked wrist shot past the goalie.
Cedar Rapids pushed to tie the game late in regulation, including a power play opportunity that the Jacks defended, and a last-second shot that was blocked in game-saving fashion by Belusko. In the end, though, the Lumberjacks held on for the 3-2 win.
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (1-0) earned the win in his postseason debut with 17 saves on 19 shots against. Ryan Cameron (0-1) earned the loss on his playoff record with 3 goals against on 28 shots against.
Saturday brings game 2 of the series, and an opportunity for the Lumberjacks to move on to the second round of the playoffs. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:05 pm ET at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, IA. Catch the action on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
