By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
It really looked like an old-time hockey game at Trinity Health Arena on Saturday night as the Muskegon Lumberjacks took the ice wearing the Fury jerseys.
There were some big hits and some fights that made the crowd go wild throughout the night. But all that energy just wasn’t enough to propel the Jacks to victory.
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders doubled up the Lumberjacks, 4-2, to earn a weekend split.
The Lumberjacks are now 22-9 on the season, good for 44 points and third place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings. Muskegon trails second-place Youngstown by two points and first-place Green Bay by three.
The Lumberjacks will look to bounce back on Friday when they travel to face the Sioux Falls Stampede. Faceoff will be slated for 8:05 p.m.
Muskegon’s Viktor Norringer (13) brings the puck along the boards with David Bosco (17) trailing. Photo/Sondra Workman
On Saturday, the RoughRiders opened the scoring with a goal from Justin Graf at the 8:19 mark of the first period.
It took 13:17 into the second period for the second goal of the contest and it was the Lumberjacks who found the back of the net to tie the contest. Jack Christ scored his 11th goal of the season on a shot from the right faceoff circle with just under seven minutes left in the period Viktor Norringer and Drew Stewart each earned an assist.
Shortly after the goal, there were some signs of true old-time hockey as a huge fight broke out at the 13:29 mark that juiced up the crowd and gave the Jacks their first power play.
A minute later, two more fights broke out that fired up the large crowd.
Jean-Samuel Daigneault fights against Cedar Rapids forward Noel Ohgren (19). Photo/Sondra Workman
The action on the ice didn’t result in more goals as the game remained deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the third period.
The RoughRiders retook the lead with Graf’s second goal of the game that at the 7:12 mark of the third period.
Cedar Rapids extended its lead to 3-1, barely getting the puck across the goal line at the 13:46 mark off the stick of Henry Lechner.
The Lumberjacks pulled their goalie for the extra advantage, and they managed to score a goal at the 18:34 mark to cut the deficit to one goal. Niles Benson deflected the puck off his body into the net off a shot from the point by Adam Belusko. Tynan Lawrence also picked up an assist.
The RoughRiders sealed the victory with 3.5 seconds remaining on an empty net goal from Jason Musa.
Both teams managed to produce 26 shots. Muskegon goaltender Carl Axelsson suffered the loss. He stopped 22-of-25 shots.
Anthony Thomas-Maroon controls the puck for Muskegon. Photo/Sondra Workman
Muskegon’s Carter Sanderson at the blue line. Photo/Sondra Workman
Will Schlechtweg flips the puck past Cedar Rapids’ Noel Ohgren (19). Photo/Sondra Workman
Muskegon’s Ty Bergeron pushes the puck with Karson Young (3) trailing. Photo/Sondra Workman
Jack Christ winds up during his fight with Cedar Rapids’ Karson Young (3). Photo/Sondra Workman