Full Team Effort Lifts Jacks to 5-2 Win in Madison. Carry First Place into Holiday Break
December 15, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MADISON, WI - Saturday night marked the final slate of games in the USHL before the league wide holiday break. With a 5-2 win the Muskegon Lumberjacks (17-7-2-1, 37 pts.) clinched first place in the USHL heading into the break, and a weekend split with the Madison Capitols (16-6-1-1, 34 pts.) in the process.
The first period featured a pair of special teams goals with a penalty kill strike from the Jacks and a power play tally from the Caps. The Jacks struck first at the 5:57 mark thanks to a forced turnover in the Madison zone. Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) worked to create havoc in the Capitols end leading to a loose puck on the far side of the zone. Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) found the puck on the wall and rather than sending it deep below the goal line he centered it for Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorrette, QC, CAN) who jumped up in the play. Veilleux fired a shot to the back of the net for his 4th goal of the season to make it 1-0 Jacks.
Later in the frame the Capitols were back on the power play and tied the game back up with a goal from Bobby Cowan. A passing play from Colton Jamieson and Diego Johnson sent the puck to the top of the slot for Cowan who used a quick release wrist shot to fire the puck to the back of the net for his 13th goal of the season.
In the second period, the Jacks scored a pair of goals to take a 3-1 lead into the third. First, Cooper Pierson (Zionsville, IN) buried a rebound from the side of the net at the 3:24 mark of the frame. Kurt Gurkan (Darien, CT) fired a shot on net from the middle of the slot resulting in a rebound on the far side of the goal line. From a near impossible angle Pierson squeezed the puck between the post and goalie to give the Jacks a 2-1 lead.
Then, eight minutes later the Jacks capitalized on a power play opportunity of their own. Chase Stefanek (Yorba Linda, CA) gave the puck to Luka Radivojevic (Trencin, SVK) at the top of the blue line while David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) made his way to the front of the net. Radivojevic fired a shot hip height where Klee redirected it past the netminder for his team leading 11th goal of the season, and his second power play goal of the weekend.
Madison struck first in the third period to bring the score within a single goal 5:57 into the period. A failed breakout from the Lumberjacks allowed Aiden Long a free opportunity in tight to the goal making it 3-2, but that's all the Caps would get.
A pair of goals in the late stages of the game sealed the deal for the Jacks. Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) struck with 1:56 to go in the game with a one timer from the near side circle. Veilleux and Radivojevic picked up the assists after Pierson won an offensive zone faceoff. Then, with 1:09 to go Stefanek sent the puck down the ice from below his own goal line to the empty net to give the Jacks the winning score of 5-2.
With the win the Jacks enter the holiday break the #1 team in the USHL and will return to the ice following the holidays with a weekend trip to Youngstown closing out 2024. Game times and broadcast information can be found at muskegonlumberjacks.com.
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United States Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2024
- Loomer Scores Twice, Stars Win Before Break - Lincoln Stars
- Full Team Effort Lifts Jacks to 5-2 Win in Madison. Carry First Place into Holiday Break - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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