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USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Berzkalns' First USHL Goal Lifts Jacks to 4-3 Win Over Des Moines

October 12, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


DES MOINES, IA - For the first time ever the Muskegon Lumberjacks (2-2-2-1, 7pts.) took to the ice at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex on Saturday night for a game against the Des Moines Buccaneers (1-5-0-0, 2pts.). Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) scored his first career USHL goal in the third period to help the Jacks to a 4-3 win.

A pair of breakaway goals in the first period helped the Jacks jump out to a 2-0 lead. First, Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) found himself behind the defense thanks to a nice play at the Muskegon blue line by Cooper Pierson (Zionsville, IN) sending the puck through the neutral zone. Lawrence tapped the puck past the lone defenseman and used a wrist shot to beat the goalie for his third goal of the season at the 7:04 mark.

Then, in the final minute of the period the Lumberjacks struck again this time with a shorthanded goal. Just :9 seconds into a 5-minute penalty kill Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) knocked away a cross-ice pass in the Lumberjacks zone and chased the puck in the neutral zone. Recognizing the opportunity David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) started streaking down the ice and received an area pass behind the defense from Galanek. Similar to Lawrence, Klee used a wrist shot while on the breakaway to beat the goalie and make it 2-0 Muskegon with :49 seconds left in the frame.

The second period started with a pair of power play goals from the Bucs. Ben Kevan scored first just :6 seconds into the frame before adding an assist on a goal from Jacob Jastrzebski :40 seconds later to tie the game.

Former Buccaneer and current Lumberjack Davis Borozinskis (Liepaja, LAT) regained the Jacks lead with a goal at the 7:42 mark of the middle stanza. Kurt Gurkan (Darien, CT) won a face-off in the near side circle of the Des Moines zone sending the puck back to Borozinskis. As he moved towards the slot he fired a shot off the goalies blocker and into the back of the net.

Again, in the third period the Buccaneers started the scoring. It was Aiden Grossklaus who finished off a backdoor one timer thanks to a nice play from Payton Blair to take possession in the neutral zone and carry it into the far side of the Jacks end.

Berzkalns scored the game winner in the late stages of regulation at the 7:23 mark of the third by finishing off a pretty passing play. Cameron Aucoin (Hinsdale, IL) held the puck at the middle of the blue line and slid a pass to the near side circle for Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) After waiting a beat Christ slid a pass of his own to the back door for Berzkalns to redirect to the back of the net.

Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) (2-1-1-0) earned the win in the crease for the Jacks with 29 saves on 32 shots against. Max Weilandt (0-2-0-0) earned the loss allowing 4 goals on 13 shots sent his way.

Next up for the Jacks is a 2 game weekend series on the East side of the state at USA Hockey Arena against the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 Team. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm on Friday and Saturday next week.

The games can be watched on USA Hockey TV with the voice of the NTDP Pete Krupsky or listened to for free on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr with voice of the Jacks Ezra Gennello.

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