MIDDLETON, WI – The Muskegon Lumberjacks flipped the script on the Madison Capitols on Saturday night in game four of the Eastern Conference Final. After a 4-1 Madison win in game three, the Jacks kept the season alive and forced a decisive game five with a 4-1 win of their own.
A big second period helped the Lumberjacks take a commanding 3-0 lead.
Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) scored the first goal of the frame 7:51 into the period on a play that needed a video review to be confirmed.
Branko Vukas (Dyer, IN) carried the puck down the near wall of the Madison zone and popped the puck to the front of the net, where Stewart tapped it to the top far corner of the frame. The call on the ice was no goal, but after a quick visit to the review center, Muskegon had a 1-0 lead on Stewart's 6
th goal of the playoffs.
Carter Amico (Westbrook, ME) added his second goal of the series to make it 2-0 at the 11:47 mark. Stewart held the puck on the far side of the Madison zone and slid it to the middle of the slot, where Amico stepped into a heavy slapshot, getting the puck over the glove of the goalie in a hurry.
With five minutes to play in the period, the Jacks added an Auto Owners Insurance Power Play goal.
Viktor Nörringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) and
Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) worked together to get the puck to the middle of the slot after Nörringer's shot was blocked.
Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) met the puck and chopped it across the goal line for his second point of the game after recording an assist on Stewart's goal. Sanderson's tally made it 3-0 Muskegon heading into the third period.
Late in regulation with the net empty, Madison found the back of the net to make it 3-1 with 2:24 to play in regulation. Jackson Nevers was the beneficiary of a bouncing puck on the near side of the Lumberjacks net and tapped it to the back of it to get the Caps on the board. Jet Kwajah and Sam Kappell picked up the assists on the play.
Madison pulled the goalie again, looking to get a step closer, but instead found the puck in the back of their net when
Nathan Larioza (Los Gatos, CA) carried the puck out of his own zone and buried it into the empty net for his second goal of the playoffs.
Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (7-4) stopped 20 of the 21 shots sent his way in the winning effort. Caleb Heil (7-3) earned the loss on his playoff record with 32 saves on 35 shots faced.
Game five of the best-of-five series comes Monday night at Trinity Health Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm with the winner moving on to the Clark Cup Final. Tickets are just $12. Get yours at muskegonlumberjacks.com or by calling 231-799-7000.
