DUBUQUE, IA – Game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks and #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints was everything a playoff hockey game should be. It took 51 minutes before someone found the back of the net, but in the end, the Saints closed out a tight 2-1 win.
The low scoring wasn't for a lack of effort. Both goalies were forced into making big saves throughout the game. Special teams weren't much of a help on offense either, with a combined 0/6 power play between both teams.
Scoring opened at the 10:42 mark of the third period when Teddy Marrill carried the puck into the Muskegon zone on the far side of the ice. Merrill made his way down the wall and behind the net, but slid the puck to the low slot before crossing behind the goal. Melvin Eckman received the puck in the slot and fired a shot as he turned. Eckman's shot made its way to the top corner of the net to make it 1-0 Saints.
Nearly at the end of regulation, Xavier Lieb scored the eventual game-winning goal with 1:58 left on the clock. Lincoln Krizizke sent a pass up the middle of the ice, leading Lieb onto a breakaway into the Muskegon zone. Lieb slid the puck along the ice to the back of the net to make it 2-0.
Looking for a pair of goals to tie the game and force overtime, the Lumberjacks pulled their goalie and got an extra attacker onto the ice. The effort resulted in a goal with 51 seconds left in regulation.
Adam Belusko (Kosice, SVK) got the puck at the middle of the blue line after his shot was blocked. Belusko regained possession and slid a pass to the top of the near circle for
Niles Benson (Tampa, FL), who one-timed the puck to the back of the net.
In the end, though, the buzzer sounded before the Jacks could add another goal, and game one went the way of Dubuque.
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (2-1-0) played well for Muskegon with 17 saves on 19 shots against. Vojtech Hambalek (1-0-0) stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced, picking up his first win of the postseason.
Game two of the best-of-five series comes Saturday night at ImOn Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:05 pm ET, 7:05 CT. The game can be found on FloHockey, the official live stream partner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, and for free on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.
