Lumberjacks Claim Eastern Conference Championship with 6-2 Win over Madison
USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Lumberjacks Claim Eastern Conference Championship with 6-2 Win over Madison

Published on May 12, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - For the second consecutive season, the Muskegon Lumberjacks will represent the Eastern Conference in the Clark Cup Final thanks to a game five 6-2 blowout of the Madison Capitols on Monday night.

Madison used a pair of power plays early in the game to take a 2-0 lead before the 10-minute mark of the first period. First, as a Lumberjacks penalty expired, Michael Tang centered a pass to the middle of the slot for Harper Frey. The pass opened a shooting lane to get the puck over the pad of the goalie for his 2nd goal of the playoffs. Then, while on a power play, Caleb Pittsley redirected a shot from John Stout to the back of the net to make it 2-0.

From there, it was all Muskegon on the scoresheet. Anthony Thomas-Maroon (St. Louis, MO) scored a pretty goal to get the Jacks on the board before the end of the first period. A give-and-go play in the far corner of the Madison zone allowed Thomas-Maroon to skate along the goal line with the puck. From the side of the net, he bounced the puck off the back of the goalie and into the net for his 2nd Clark Cup Playoff goal.

Three goals came in the second period for the Jacks, two of them on the McKenzie Price Power Play. Just 2:22 into the second period, Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) tied the game. Netminder Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) sent the puck up the near side of the ice, finding Berzkalns at the opposing blue line, and catching Madison in the middle of the line change. Berzkalns carried the puck to the front of the net and used his backhand to lift it to the top corner, showcasing his size, speed, and skill all on one play.

Moments later, the Jacks took a 3-2 lead off Louis Jonerheim's (Lund, SWE) first goal of the postseason. Berzkalns sent a pass from the far corner to Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) in the middle of the slot. Blanchard fired a shot off Jonerheim's skate, sending it across the goal line with 12:22 to play in the period.

A goal from Adam Belusko (Kosice, SVK) was initially ruled the 4th goal for the Lumberjacks, but after a video review, the call was overturned, and the score remained 3-2. Nevertheless, the Jacks added another tally before the end of the frame. Berzkalns' second of the game, this time on the power play. Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) sent the puck to the middle of the ice looking for a seam pass, but as the puck was held up, Berzkalns found it in the middle of the slot and whacked it past the goalie for his 4th playoff goal.

Two more power-play goals came in the third period for Muskegon. Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) scored the first at the 6:39 mark with a wicked wrist shot from the middle of the slot for his 3rd of the playoffs. Christ and Branko Vukas (Dyer, IN) recorded the assists on the goal.

Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) put the icing on the cake for the Jacks with his USHL-leading 7th goal of the Clark Cup Playoffs when he used a wrist shot to get the puck across the goal line. Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) and Belusko had the assist on the 6th Lumberjacks goal.

Overall, the Lumberjacks were 4/6 on the power play and 4/5 on the penalty kill. The Jacks also led the shots 44-23 in what was a dominant performance to clinch their second consecutive Eastern Conference Championship.

Axelsson (8-4) had an eventful night recording his first career USHL point with an assist, and earning the win in the crease with 21 saves on 23 shots against. Caleb Heil (7-3) stopped 38 of the 44 shots he faced in the losing effort.

The Lumberjacks await the conclusion of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday night between the Sioux Falls Stampede and Fargo Force. The winner will host the Jacks in Games 1 and 2 of the 2026 Clark Cup Final this coming Friday and Saturday. For the full Clark Cup Final schedule, tickets, and broadcast options, visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from May 12, 2026


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