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USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Jacks Head to Green Bay for 3 Game Series

January 30, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


GREEN BAY, WI - For the first time this season the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Green Bay Gamblers will take to the same ice as part of a 3-game series in week 19 of the USHL regular season. The Jacks enter the weekend after sweeping the USNTDP Under-17 Team in a 2-game series while the Gamblers come in off a loss to the Waterloo Black Hawks.

The Match up

The last time these two teams met was in the second round of the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs. On the final day of the 2023-2024 regular season the Jacks leapfrogged the Gamblers in the Eastern Conference Standings for second place and a first round bye. After taking care of the Chicago Steel in three games in the first round, the Gamblers hit the road to Muskegon and went the distance to game 5. In the end a double overtime game winning goal from Ethan Whitcomb sent the Jacks to the Eastern Conference Final and the Gamblers back to Green Bay to prepare for the USHL Draft.

Now this season, The Jacks find themselves back in second place with 50 points (22-10-2-4) in 38 games. Green Bay has played well as of late but find themselves in fifth place in the East with 41 points (20-17-1-0) in 38 games.

Lumberjacks forward Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) was named the USHL's Forward of the Week thanks to a 6-point week 18 performance. Arguably the hottest player in the USHL over the past month has been the Gamblers Will Zellers. A 2024 draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche, Zellers is riding a 5-game point streak with 13 points (9G, 4A) and a +8 rating in that span. His dominant performances earned him the Week 17 USHL Forward of the Week honors.

About Last Week

A little home cooking goes a long way, and for the Lumberjacks last weekend a Friday night crowd at Trinity Health Arena got the good vibes train rolling with a dominant 7-3 win over the NTDP Under-17 Team. The theme of the game was strength for the Jacks. From an effective fore check to physical play the Jacks used their size and speed to keep the puck on the offensive end of the ice.

The strong play continued Saturday as the party moved to the east side of the state to USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. The Jacks were just as dominant to the tune of an 8-2 win. Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) led the way with 4 points while Ivan Ryabkin (Balakovo, RUS) added a pair of goals and an assist. Six total Lumberjacks recorded multi-point performances as Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) won his second game of the weekend in the crease.

In Green Bay the Gamblers welcomed a pair of teams to the Resch Center on Friday and Sunday. First, the Dubuque Fighting Saints paid a visit and left empty handed thanks to a strong effort from the Gamblers in a 4-2 win. Aidan Park scored a pair of goals while Gavin Moffatt stopped 30 of 32 shots for his 18th win of the season.

On Sunday the Gamblers took on the Western Conference's Waterloo Black Hawks. Despite leading 2-0 in the second period the tide turned in favor of the visitors and the Hawks left the Resch Center with a 6-3 win. Andrew O'Sullivan was a bright spot for the Gamblers on the back end with two assists.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JAKE TOLL

Entering the weekend with 98 career games played in the USHL, Jake Toll (Rosemount, MN) can become the latest Lumberjack to reach the 100-game mark on Saturday night. Originally a 2023 draft pick of the Sioux Falls Stampede Toll was traded to Muskegon in February of last season as the team made a push for the Clark Cup Playoffs.

In 22 games as a Lumberjack last season Toll recorded 7 assists and held a +2 rating while providing strong, consistent defense for the Black and Gold. This season his offensive numbers are in a similar range with 8 points (1G, 7A) in 37 games but has seen his +/- rise to a +8 rating.

Toll made the jump to the USHL from Minnesota High School Hockey where he played for his hometown Rosemount High School. During the 2022-2023 season Toll mixed in 13 games in the NAHL with the North Iowa Bulls at the end of the high school season.

Following the conclusion of his junior hockey career Toll will play NCAA Division I College Hockey at the University of Minnesota - Duluth where he will be a Bulldog in the NCHC.

Over the Airwaves

Every Lumberjacks game can be found on the official live stream partner of the USHL, FloHockey with Voice of the 'Jacks Ezra Gennello. Fans can also join Ezra on the free radio feed on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr. All Lumberjacks broadcasts are presented by Lakeside Surfaces.

30 minutes to puck drop every game day the Lumberjacks Hockey Network Pregame Show takes place on Facebook Live.

Upcoming Games

Fri. January 31 | 8:05 pm ET | at Green Bay

Sat. February 1 | 7:05 pm ET | at Green Bay

Sun. February 2 | 4:05 pm ET | at Green Bay

Fri. February 7 | 7:00 pm ET | vs Tri-City

Sat. February 8 | 6:00 pm ET | vs. Tri-City

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2025


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