Jacks Hold on in Wild Finish. Pick up 3-2 Final in Green Bay
USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Jacks Hold on in Wild Finish. Pick up 3-2 Final in Green Bay

Published on January 23, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


GREEN BAY, WI - A goalie goal attempt, and an empty netter off the post highlighted an electric final 60 seconds of Friday night's game between the Muskegon Lumberjacks (25-11-0-1, 51 pts.) and Green Bay Gamblers (25-10-3-1, 54 pts.). Jack Christ's (Chaska, MN) led the way for the Jacks to a 3-2 win.

Both teams found the back of the net in the first period, only 24 seconds apart. Green Bay struck first at the 13:44 to take a 1-0 lead. The puck came to Andrew O'Sullivan on the near side of the Jacks' blue line, where he fired a shot towards the net. Gunnar Conboy provided a screen in front of the net, taking away the goalie's vision, allowing the long shot to the back of the net.

In a big response, Ty Bergeron (Flat Rock, MI) tied the game back up with his third goal of the season. Lars Hutson (North Barrington, IL) sent the puck up the near side of the neutral zone. A Gambler intercepted the pass at his own blue line, but Bergeron tapped the puck between the defender's legs and into the offensive zone. Bergeron followed up the turnover with a wicked wrist shot to the top corner of the net.

It took nearly the entire second period for another goal to come. With 20 seconds left in the frame, Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) cleared the puck from the Lumberjacks zone. Christ met the puck at the top of the near side circle of the Green Bay zone. As he hit the brakes, Christ fired a shot over the blocker of the goalie and into the back of the net to give the Jacks a 2-1 lead before the third and final period.

Christ was involved in the game-winning goal, too. Danny Klaers (Wayzata, MN) sent a saucer pass up the near side of the ice to Christ on his way into the offensive zone. Recognizing he couldn't take a shot, Christ slid a pass back door to Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE), who had just joined the play from the bench. Norringer one-timed the puck to the back of the net to give the Jacks a 3-1 lead just about 3 minutes into the third period.

A "home team" bounce helped the Gamblers bring the score back to within a single goal late in regulation. Conboy rimmed the puck around the glass from the near side wall, and after the puck bounced off the Zamboni entrance and to the middle of the slot, Conboy was gifted an empty net to shoot at for his second point of the game.

Despite good looks at goals on both ends of the ice in the final minute of regulation, including a goalie goal attempt from Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) that was deflected between the hashmarks of the Green Bay zone, no one was able to score, and the Jacks picked up the 3-2 victory.

Axelsson (19-6-0-0) stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced and regained his lead in the USHL with 19 wins this season. Leo Henriquez (11-4-1-1) stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced but earned the loss on his record.

Saturday night, the teams return to the ice at the Resch Center for the 4th and final game of the season-long series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 pm EST no FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2026


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