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USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Jacks Out-Battle Youngstown for 4-3 Win in Front of Packed Trinity Health Arena Crowd

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


MUSKEGON, MI - The first star of the night may have been David Klee (Castle Rock, CO) thanks to his 4-point performance, but recognition is deserved for the Lumberjacks' ticket sales office as the Muskegon Lumberjacks (14-5-2-1, 31 pts.) took on the Youngstown Phantoms (14-8-0-0, 28 pts.) in front of a near capacity crowd at Trinity Health Arena on Friday night.

The Phantoms opened the scoring in the first period to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission 7:47 into the game. Adam Benák was the beneficiary of a loose puck at the near side of the Lumberjacks net following a trio of bounces on its way towards the goal.??

The second period scoreboard belonged to the Lumberjacks in the second period with a pair of goals to tie and lead the game. The first goal came 5:57 into the frame when Klee finished a tik-tac-toe passing play in tight to the Youngstown crease. Jake Toll (Rosemount, MN) intercepted the puck in the Phantom's zone and tapped a pass backdoor to Vaclav Nestrasil (Praha, CZE) on the far side. Nestrasil returned the pass to Klee on the near side of the crease for an easy goal to tie the game 1-1.

Ten minutes later the Jacks doubled up to take a 2-1 lead. This time is was Nestrasil cashing in on an assist from Klee. The Lumberjack's captain flipped the puck high through the air to the offensive zone. Nestrasil bounced off contact from a Youngstown defenseman and ripped a shot to the top corner of the net to give the Jacks a 2-1 lead.

Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) gave the Jacks a 3-1 lead 15:15 into the third period by batting the puck out of midair to the back of the net. Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) received a pass on the far side of the ice from Van Blaricom on the zone entry and fired a shot off the pads of the Youngstown netminder. At the doorstep of the crease Van Blaricom knocked the puck out of the air and into the back of the net for his 4th goal of the season.

Youngstown struck to bring the game to 3-2 less than a minute later when another loose puck made it's way to the back door. In similar style to the first goal, Michael Mesic met a bouncing puck on the near side of the Jacks crease and tapped it tot the back of the net.

An empty net goal followed for the Jacks. Teddy Spitznagel (Bloomfield Hills, MI) centered the puck in the neutral zone for Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) to carry down the ice and add some insurance for the Jacks.

In the final moments of the game Quentin Bourne brought the game back to within a goal. Bourne received a pass on the near side of the ice and used a quick release to get the puck to the back of the net.

Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) (8-3-1-0) earned the win for the Jacks with 38 saves on 41 shots. Melvin Strahl (11-5-0-0) played well and made 22 saves on 25 shots earning the loss on his record.

The teams close the weekend series tomorrow, Saturday night at 6 p.m. It's North Pole Night at Trinity Health Arena. Tickets and broadcast information can be found at muskegonlumberjacks.com.

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