USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Jacks Come Back, But Indiana Wins in Overtime

Published on February 11, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Trailing by two goals entering the third, the Muskegon Lumberjacks rallied to tie, fell behind and equalized again before the Indiana Ice won 6-5 in overtime on a bad bounce Saturday night.

In a remarkable game at a raucous Pepsi Coliseum, Ryan Lomberg had two goals and an assist and the Lumberjacks scored three power play goals for the first time this season. Dakota Klecha (goal, assist), Tyler Heinonen (goal, assist) and Ryan Bullock (two assists) also had big nights for Muskegon (11-20-5, 27 points).

Heinonen netted his ninth goal of the season unassisted from the slot with 2:01 left to force overtime. The goal, Heinonen's sixth in the last nine games, came just 23 seconds after Robert Polesello pushed Indiana (25-10-5, 55 points) ahead 5-4.

Sean Kuraly won the game for the Ice 1:20 into sudden death when his shot deflected off a Lumberjacks' skate and past goalie John Keeney, who was strong in the face of a 41-shot Indiana barrage. Kuraly also scored a power play goal earlier in the game and added an assist to pace the home side.

After Lomberg scored the game's first goal late in the first, the Ice scored four of the next five to carry a 4-2 lead into the third. But Jon Padulo buried the rebound of Bullock's point shot 4 1/2 minutes into the frame to cut the lead in half, then Lomberg rifled his team-leading 12th goal off the arm of Indy goalie Jon Gillies with 5:49 remaining in regulation. Lomberg now has five points in two games and leads the Jacks with a total of 24.

Robbie Baillargeon picked up his third assist of the night, setting up Polesello with 2:24 left to reignite the crowd and seemingly send Indiana to a regulation win. However, in a game of quick turnarounds, Heinonen capped another reversal of fortune seconds later, hopping on a loose puck and beating Gillies from the slot.

Speaking of turnarounds, the Lumberjacks will take their hard-earned standings point and head to Youngstown for a Sunday matinee with the Phantoms. Muskegon will be seeking to even the season series at four wins apiece after Youngstown won Friday at L.C. Walker Arena.

Entering Saturday night, the Ice were 18-1-1 when scoring the first goal, so when the Jacks netted the game's opening tally, it seemed especially significant. With Muskegon on the power play, Klecha sped down the right wing and spun a great pass to the crease where Lomberg dumped it into a yawning net with 3:55 left in the first.

But Indiana hastily forged a tie just 20 seconds later, as Emil Romig ripped a wrister under the crossbar after Baillargeon set him up from the right boards. 19 seconds after that, Daniil Tarasov gathered a loose puck in the Muskegon zone and beat Keeney inside the right post for his league-leading 27th of the season.

Kuraly batted home a rebound to make it 3-1 30 seconds into the second with Indiana on its first power play of the night. However, Muskegon had an answer at 11:34 when Klecha scored his 11th on a wraparound after Lomberg and Heinonen were stopped by Gillies.

Kirill Lebedev, playing his sixth USHL game, restored the two-goal Indy advantage 1:11 later with his fifth league goal. Tarasov found his Russian countryman open at the right circle for a one-timer to complete a four-man passing play.

The Lumberjacks will stay on the road Sunday, as they face the Phantoms in Youngstown at 2 p.m. The Meijer Pregame Show begins at 1:30 on 92.5 The Outlaw with Voice of the Jacks Matt Gajtka on the call.

Tickets for the Alumni Game are only $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under! Call the L.C. Walker Arena box office at 231.724.JACK(5225) for tickets and information, or visit startickets.com or go to your local Meijer.

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2012


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