Jacks Open Preseason with 9-3 Win in Chicago

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Muskegon Lumberjacks

Jacks Open Preseason with 9-3 Win in Chicago

September 7, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


GENEVA, IL - It's been 127 days since the last time the Muskegon Lumberjacks (1-0-0-0) took to the ice, and it looked as if the offense has been chomping at the bit to some goals because the Jacks stomped the Chicago Steel (0-1-0-0) 9-3 on Friday night to open the preseason.

The start of the game was fairly even until the Jacks opened the scoring at the 11:37 mark of the first period. Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) kept the puck in the offensive zone at the top of the blue line allowing Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) an opportunity to pick it up and carry it down the slot. Lawrence moved towards the nearside of the crease and lifted a shot over the pad of the Chicago net minder.

About four minutes later the Jacks doubled up their score and again Lawrence was involved. This time with the primary assist on a goal from Matthew van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN). A quick shot from Lawrence on the nearside of the ice produced a rebound at the top of the crease for van Blaricom to push to the back of the net for his first goal of the preseason.

Just before the end of the first period the Jacks added another goal to take a 3-0 lead into the intermission. Olle Karlsson (Stockholm, SWE) sent the puck into the offensive zone on the far side of the ice. Meeting the puck in the far side circle was Cam Caron (Dracut, MA) who quickly sent a pass to the middle of the ice. Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) skated into the pass and ripped a one timer to the back of the net at the 18:34 mark of the frame.

Coming out of the intermission the Jacks were just as dominant on the offensive end extending their lead to 4-0 with a power play goal 6:18 into the middle stanza. Nestrasil sent the puck to the top of the blue line for Cameron Aucoin (Hinsdale, IL). With just one second left on the Jacks advantage Aucoin fired a shot towards the net where Isac Nielsen (Karlshamn, SWE) was waiting to send the rebound past the goal line.

The power play goal was the start of a three-point shift for Nielsen as he assisted the Jacks next goal just under two minutes later. From the nearside corner of the Chicago zone, Nielsen sent a pass to the top of the crease for Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT). After his initial shot was turned aside Berzkalns found his own rebound and beat the goalie to make it 5-0 Muskegon.

It then became 6-0 just :40 seconds after that when Nielsen fired a pass from the nearside wall of the offensive zone across the slot to Jake Merens (Highland Park, IL) who was cutting towards the back post. Merens caught the pass and out waited the goalie before sliding the puck to the back of the net for his first goal of the preseason.

Chicago answered back with a goal of the their own at the 9:58 mark when Aidan Dyer scored his first goal of the post season, but two more goals from Muskegon before the end of the period made it 8-1 after 40 minutes.

First, Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, MA) struck on the power play. After winning the face off back to Barrett Dexheimer (Edina, MN) Galanek received a pass while at the top of the far side circle. He walked towards the net and ripped a shot to the top corner just 6 seconds into the advantage at the 10:57 mark of the frame.

Then, van Blaricom scored his second of the game when he and Galanek connected on a 2-on-0 rush into the offensive zone. Both skaters had taken penalties and as they exited the box after the 5-on-3 penalty kill they were sprung onto a fast break rush down the ice. Galanek found van Blaricom with a back door pass for an easy tap in goal with 6:30 left before the second intermission.

The Steel scored two goals at the start of the third period. A second goal of the game for Dyer, and the first goal of the preseason for Teddy Mutryn at 1:35 and 6:38 of the third, but the hole was just too deep as the Jacks added one more goal to the insurance policy.

Nielsen picked up his fourth point of the night when he fired a shot from the top of the zone towards the net. Ryan Aaronson (Highland Park, IL) was in front of the net and banged home the rebound to give the Jacks the eventual final score of 9-3.

Raiden LeGall (Morden, MN, CAN) (1-0-0-0) earned the win by making 24 saves on 27 shots. Andrew Saxe (0-1-0-0) didn't have much help in front of him as he earns the loss with 9 goals against on 38 shots faced.

Muskegon dominated the special teams play going 2/2 on both the power play and penalty kill.

The teams close the two game preseason series tomorrow, Saturday night at 8:05 pm ET. Catch the action on the official live stream partner of the USHL, FloHockey, and for free on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.

Follow the Jacks on social media @MuskegonJacks on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for in game updates and special content throughout the week.

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