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USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Lumberjacks Battle with Team USA U17 and Chicago Steel in Single-Game Matchups

December 8, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, Mich. - The Muskegon Lumberjacks will host Team USA U17 at Mercy Health Arena on Friday, Dec. 10 before traveling to Geneva, Ill. for a single-game matchup with the Chicago Steel on Saturday, Dec. 11 from Fox Valley Ice Arena. Friday's home contest will start at 7:10 pm EST with Saturday's road game beginning at 8:05 pm EST. This will mark the second time Muskegon and the U17 group will meet each other in the regular season dating back to Nov. 24 where the Lumberjacks blanked the U17's by a score of 5-to-0. This will also be the fifth time the Steel clash with Muskegon this season, and the first since Owen Mehlenbacher potted the game-winning overtime goal in Muskegon's 5-to-4 triumph back on Nov. 13.

USA! USA! USA!

Team USA U17 comes into this week having lost four out of their last five contests, dating back to when the Lumberjacks blanked the U17's by a score 5-to-0 before Thanksgiving. In their most recent USHL outing, the U17's were overthrown by the Madison Capitols on Dec. 3, by a final score of 6-to-3. Team USA U17 only has one singular win against USHL competition, that coming from their 5-to-2 triumph over the Green Bay Gamblers on Nov. 27. The U17's top three scorers all received call-ups to the 18's squad, those being forwards Gabe Perreault, Will Smtih, and Oliver Moore. This leaves forward Ryan Fine, who currently leads the team in points with a stat line of one goal and 12 assists for 13 points. Will Vote is another player to watch out for the U17's, as he has six goals and four assists for 10 points. In goal, Trey Augustine has split goaltending duties with Carsen Musser and Michael Chambre. Augustine has a 5-5-0 record through 15 games played, with a 3.82 GAA and a .888 save percentage.

Chicago, Chicago That Toddling Town

The defending Clark Cup Champions have the most points in the USHL, topping the Eastern Conference standings with 34 points in the bank, and an overall record of 15-4-4-0. Last weekend, Chicago split their two-game series with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, where they were trounced 7-to-3 on Dec. 3 and doubled up the Saints 6-to-3 on Dec. 4. Chicago possesses a pair of NHL draft picks, those being Jackson Blake and Sam Lipkin. Blake, son of former NHLer Jason Blake, was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes #109 overall in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft while Lipkin was selected by the Arizona Coyotes #223 overall in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Leading the way for Chicago is Blake who currently leads the team in points with a stat line of 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points. Adam Fantilli leads the goal scoring category and sits behind Blake on the team in points, having scored 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points. In fact, four out of the top five point scorers in the entire USHL reside on Chicago's roster, with Joe Miller and Sam Lipkin checking into the top five with Blake and Fanitlli. On defense, Jake Livanavage continues to make strides as he leads team defensemen in points, having scored one goal and 16 assists in 23 games this year. Lukas Gustafsson has also been a decorous fit, scoring four goals and eight assists for 12 points. In goal, the Steel have a three-way rotation with Nick Haas, Gibson Homer and Christian Manz. Haas and Homer have seen a bulk of the minutes between the pipes, with Haas boasting a 7-1-0 record, a 2.47 GAA and a .916 save percentage.

About Last Weekend

The Lumberjacks are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference by winning eight of the last nine games, including a current four-game winning streak. Most recently, the Jacks dismantled the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, sweeping them in three consecutive contests. Friday's match saw Muskegon score four unanswered goals (two from Phil Tresca) in the second period en route to a 4-to-2 victory. Saturday's round had some fisticuffs with puglistic intentions as both teams racked up four fights (three simultaneously), 156 combined penalty minutes and a natural hat trick by Phil Tresca as the Jacks knocked out the Riders by a score of 5-to-2. Sunday's matinee was a bit of a different story, with Jake Braccini and Joey Larson each lighting the lamp and goaltender Platon Zadorozhnyy earning his second career shutout by blanking Cedar Rapids 3-to-0. With the weekend sweep, the Lumberjacks collected six points in the Eastern Conference standings, and leapfrog both Cedar Rapids and Youngstown to climb to fourth place in the standings with 23 points, and an overall record of 10-8-1-2.

USHL Goaltender of the Week

Muskegon Lumberjacks goaltender Platon Zadorozhnyy has been named USHL Goaltender of the Week for week 11 of the USHL regular season. With his second shutout in eight appearances this season, Zadorozhnyy earned his first USHL Goaltender of the Week after a 25-save shutout against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The Moskva, Russia native's second shutout of the season came just two appearances after his first, which was a 20-save whitewash on November 24. Zadorozhnyy has appeared in eight games for the Lumberjacks this season with a 5-3-0-0 record, 3.10 goals-against average and 0.894 save percentage, which is 12th and 11th, respectively, in the USHL this season, and is just one of four league netminders with multiple shutouts this season. Zadorozhnny becomes the third Lumberjack in as many weeks to earn a weekly accolade with the USHL and the fourth Muskegon player to win player of the week, with Quinn Hutson and Jake Braccini taking home USHL Forward of the Week the prior two weeks, respectively, and Jacob Guevin winning defenseman of the week in week 6. In addition, Zadorozhnyy is the first Muskegon netminder to be selected goaltender of the week since Nate Reid's performance in late February of the 2020-21 season.

Upcoming Theme Nights - Ugly Sweater/New Year's Eve/Party In Your Parka

On Friday, Dec. 10, show off your holiday spirit by wearing the ugliest sweater you can find! Plus, NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios comes to Muskegon! Additionally, Santa and his little helpers will be making their rounds to spread some holiday cheer! On New Year's Eve, watch the puck drop just hours before you watch the ball drop. We're saying farewell to 2021 and ringing in 2022 with a big New Years' Eve bash! Join us for Dueling Pianos and Lumberjacks action! The New Year's Eve bash rolls into New Years Day for Party In Your Parka! We're throwing a party downtown, so make sure to rock your parka! For more information, call the Muskegon Lumberjacks Business office at (231)-799-7000 or email afranczek@muskegonlumberjacks.com.

Over the Airwaves

For live video streams, all Muskegon Lumberjacks games will be broadcast on HockeyTV (Video). Additionally, all home games and select away games will be streamed on Mixlr (Audio) for free.

NHL Central Scouting Watch List

On Tuesday, Oct. 19, National Hockey League (NHL) Central Scouting released their preliminary watch list for the upcoming 2022 NHL Entry Draft. In all, six current and three future Jacks made the list. Current Lumberjacks include defensemen Tyler Dunbar, Jacob Guevin, and Jeremiah Slavin; forwards Owen Mehlenbacher and Ethan Whitcomb; and goaltender Cameron Korpi. In addition to the original six, three affiliates were named to the watch list, those being Michael Callow, Matthew Morden, and George Fegaras. The Lumberjacks also boast 12 players eligible to be selected in this year's NHL Entry Draft which will take place from July 7 through July 9 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.

Jacks in the NHL Draft

The Jacks boast an NHL draft pick to the roster with defenseman Noah Ellis. Committed to play at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Ellis was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights No. 184 overall in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. The Urbandale, Iowa native appeared in 40 games with the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers during the fi2020-21 season, totaling five goals and 12 assists for 17 points.

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