MUSKEGON, MI – No team wins the Clark Cup in September, but the foundation for a championship season can begin long before the games count in the standings. Both the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Youngstown Phantoms enter the new campaign coming off championship seasons and will look to carry that momentum into a preseason match up at Trinity Health Arena.
While the results may not impact the standings, a match up between two longtime rivals still carries plenty of meaning for the players, coaches, and fans. Expect a fast-paced and competitive start to the USHL preseason as the Lumberjacks and Phantoms begin laying the groundwork for the season ahead.

Preseason Week 1 Preview: No Points, No Problem.

There may be no bigger rivalry in the USHL entering the 2026-27 season than the one between Muskegon and Youngstown. Fittingly, both teams are beginning the new campaign the same way they began the 2025-26 season: by raising a banner before their home opener.
 
The Lumberjacks followed their 2025 Clark Cup Championship with a second consecutive appearance in the Clark Cup Final and another Eastern Conference Championship. The third in franchise history. Meanwhile, Youngstown captured the Eastern Conference regular-season title in 2025 before claiming the Anderson Cup as the USHL's regular-season champions in 2026. Both organizations enter every season with Clark Cup aspirations, and with talented rosters once again in place, both teams have an opportunity to raise a banner for the third consecutive year in 2027.
 
While both teams have consistently occupied the top of the standings over the last three seasons, the Lumberjacks have had the edge in the head-to-head match up. Muskegon owns a 17-7-0-3 record against Youngstown since the start of the 2023-24 season and swept the Phantoms in three games during the teams' lone playoff series during that span.
 
As the rivalry returns to the ice this preseason, each team features a newcomer, a returning veteran, and a tender signing worth keeping an eye on.
 
For Muskegon, Billy MacAusland (Westwood, MA) is expected to make an immediate impact in his first season of junior hockey. The 2007-born forward arrives after an impressive career in the New England prep scene with Noble & Greenough.
 
Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) returns to Muskegon for his third season with the Lumberjacks. The future Boston College Eagle will have a second logo next to his name on the line chart this season, and a new set of expectations after being selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft, 58th overall.
 
Finally, Zaac Charbonneau (Gatineau, QC, CAN) arrives in Muskegon with plenty of expectations of his own. Following in the footsteps of Eastern Canadian standouts Sacha Boisvert (CHI '24 #18) and Tynan Lawrence (STL '26 #11), Charbonneau looks to become the next high-end player to sign a tender agreement with the Lumberjacks on his way toward first-round NHL Draft consideration. The 2010-born forward is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.
 
On the other side of the ice, Youngstown enters the new season with Malachi McKinnon returning to the Penguin City as one of its top offensive threats. After beginning the 2024-25 season in Fargo, McKinnon made his way to the BCHL before eventually being traded to Youngstown. He responded with 50 points (25-25-50) during the 2025-26 season and will look to continue building on that production this year.
 
Lukas Zajic was among the more promising American-born players in the 2008 birth year at the National Team Development Program, but after recording only 10 points in 25 games with the Red, White and Blue last season, Zajic will look to take a major offensive step forward in Youngstown.
 
Austin Hall rounds out the players to watch for the Phantoms. Playing for a loaded Honeybaked Hockey Club roster last season, Hall recorded 186 points in 89 games and led the nation in scoring at the 15U AAA level. His 2.09 points per game ranked sixth nationally, one spot ahead of Charbonneau's 2.04 points per game.
 

Over the Airwaves

Gray Supply Corp. proudly presents the Lumberjacks Hockey Network, your home for every Muskegon Lumberjacks game throughout the preseason, regular season, and postseason. Follow all the action with the voice of the Lumberjacks, Ezra Gennello.
 
FloHockey is the official live-streaming partner of the Lumberjacks, providing fans with a high-quality viewing experience for every game. The Lumberjacks Hockey Network also offers a free internet radio broadcast of every game through Mixlr.
 
Get ready for puck drop on every game day with the Gray Supply Corp. Pregame Show, streaming live on Facebook beginning 30 minutes before game time.
 
For more information on all Lumberjacks broadcast options, visit the Press Box tab at muskegonlumberjacks.com.
 

Upcoming Games

Sat. September 5 | 6:00 pm ET | vs Youngstown Phantoms
Sun. September 6 | 3:00 pm ET | vs Youngstown Phantoms
Fri. September 11 | 10:30 am ET | vs Under-18 Team

• Muskegon Lumberjacks Charitable Foundation Kids Day Game

Sat. September 12 | 7:00 pm ET | at 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.