USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Koering's First USHL Goal Lifts Jacks to Weekend Sweep with 5-4 (OT) Win

December 31, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - It's not always about how many goals you score, but when you score them. For Ryan Koering (Eden Prairie, MN) his first career USHL goal came at the perfect time to give the Muskegon Lumberjacks (17-10-1-1, 36 pts.) a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night and a weekend sweep over the Youngstown Phantoms (17-7-3-0, 37 pts.).

Scoring was opened in the first period by Youngstown at the 4:07 mark by Miles Gunty. Charlie Cerrato held the puck on the new side wall and slid it to the blue line to Thomas Machu. The Czechia born defenseman fired a shot on net that was redirected by Gunty for his 8th goal of the season.

Not long after the Phantoms scored the Lumberjacks responded. Sacha Boisvert (Trois-Rivieres, QC, CAN) had the puck on the near side of the offensive zone and sent a pass across the way for Joe Connor (Amherst, NH). After scoring the Jack's first goal of the game last night Connor repeated his performance by firing a shot past the Youngstown netminder for his second goal of the weekend, 11th of the season.

Youngstown opened the scoring in the second period too. While on a power play Abdrew Strathman sent the puck towards the net. While he missed the shot the rebound it produced went straight to the stick of Luke Osburn who was at the side of the net. Osburn moved the puck towards the net and past the goalie to take a 2-1 lead at the 6:03 mark.

Muskegon scored the next two goals, and again the Jacks did not wait long to tie the game back up. The first goal came on a Jacks powerplay just 1:39 later. Connor kept the puck in the offensive zone at the near side of the blue line. Connor sent a pass across the line to Boisvert who stepped in and ripped a shot to the back of the net for his first goal of the game.

A few minutes later at the 9:43 mark defenseman Easton Young (Grand Rapids, MN) gave the Lumberjacks a 3-2 lead by taking possession of the puck at the top of the circles in his own zone and skating all the way to the top of the circles in the Youngstown zone before sending a shot off the cross bar and into the back of the net.

In the third period Youngstown tied the game at the 3:20 mark on a goal from Kuzma Voronin. Ryan Botterill held the puck at the near side of the Lumberjacks net and tapped a pass between his legs to Voronin in front to one-time home.

Boisvert struck again to give the Jacks a 4-3 lead with just over ten minutes to play with another power play goal. Carrying the puck into the offensive zone on the near side of the ice Boisvert approached a Youngstown defenseman and used a head fake to open a shooting lane to the far post of the goal. His second goal of the game was his team leading 18th of the season.

With eight minutes left in regulation the Phantoms re-tied the game when Ryan Rucinski banged a rebound to the back of the net on a play started by Adam Pietila and Braiden Clark.

Entering the game Muskegon had a 12-0 record this season when leading after the second period. Heading into overtime that perfect record was in jeopardy, but not if you ask Koering. The young defenseman got the puck at the top of the Youngstown zone on the far side wall, his offside. Moving down the wall Koering lowered his shoulder and won inside position against the Phantom defenseman. Koering pulled the puck towards him as he moved across the top of the crease and was able to tuck it past the netminder for his first career USHL goal and win the game 5-4 for the Lumberjacks.

Miles Roberts (Costa Mesa, CA) (2-0) kept the Lumberjacks in the game by turning aside 42 of the 46 shots sent his way. Owen Bartoszkiewicz (11-5-2-0) earned the loss, only allowing 5 goals on 41 shots against.

Next week the Lumberjacks hit the road and travel west to Dubuque, IA for a weekend series against the Fighting Saints. Catch the action on the official live stream partner of the USHL, FloHockey, and on the Lumberjacks Hockey Network on Mixlr.

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2023


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