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Lumberjacks Recap -- Week of December 28th

December 29, 2008 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


LUMBERJACKS LINERS: As they embark on the final two games of the 2008 calendar year, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League are looking forward to even better achievements and accomplish-ments for the New Year of 2009. Under the doctrine according to third-year head coach Bruce Ramsay, the Lumber-jacks are one game away from crossing the one-third line of the 76-games' regular season schedule. Through the first 25-games, the team with Muskegon on its jerseys has compiled a record of 25(14-9-2) totaling 30-points and a 4th place residence in the tight taut fraught league standings. Having played the fewest number of games in the IHL, the 'Jacks .600 winning percentage actually rates as tied for second best in the league behind league-leading Port Huron 30(18-12-0) 36-points. Muskegon does have the exponential potential of 5-games in hand on the Icehawks who have won 2-in a row and are 5(4-1-0) in their last 5-games and 12(9-3-0) in their last 12-decisions while winning 5-consecutively abroad and 10 of their last 12 in hostile territory. Meanwhile, Muskegon is only 4-points in arrears of second place Kalamazoo 27(17-10-0) 34-points with 2-games in hand on a Wings team that saw its 5-game win streak dissolved by the 'Jacks Saturday night in Muskegon. The Muskegon local icers trail third place Fort Wayne 27(15-10-2) 32-points by 2-points with 2-games in hand on the league's reigning kingpins. The Komets are 10(6-3-1) in their last 10-offerings and 5(4-1-0) in their last 5-excursions abroad across the IHL. This week will act as a bridge between the end of the calendar year of 2008 and the genesis of the New Year 2009 and will find the home town team continuing its strenuous stretch of 7-games in 9-days with a quartet of outings with the first one at home to cap a 3-games in 4-nights home stand followed immediately by 3-consecutive expeditions across the league's more exotic burgs. The 'Jacks last home act of the current calendar year is set for Tuesday night when they tangle with Bloomington on the annual, ever-popular "Carload Special" Night. Then it's on to Kalamazoo for a New Year's Eve date with the Wings before traveling onward to Bloomington, IL where they will open a 2-game series in as many nights with the Prairie Thunder on both Friday and Saturday nights. The latter two contests will mark the beginning of the 2009 portion of the Lumberjacks schedule.

LOAD'EM UP; MOVE'EM OUT: When the Lumberjacks close the 2008 portion of the '08-09 schedule, they will be presenting their annual, ever-popular "CARLOAD SPECIAL." On this special night the price is right from the 'Jacks. The price is $40 for a carload, truck load, trailer load, etc., etc., to see the Jacks in action to tussle and scuffle with Bloomington at 7:00 pm at Walker Arena.

THE DRIVE AFTER 25: With the first 25-games in the books and duly recorded, the Lumberjacks are in occupancy of 4th place in the desultory IHL banner chase and race. For the record, it's 25(14-9-2) for 30-points. Muskegon has played the least number of games in the league and have also sustained the least defeats in the IHL (9). When they trembled on Sunday evening at home to Fort Wayne, 5-1, the 'Jacks saw their 3-game unsullied skein of 3(2-0-1) disrupted. They are 7(2-4-1) in their last 7-games; last 11(4-6-1); last 15(7-6-2). The longest win streaks of the current season have been 4-in a row; 4(4-0-0) and 3-in succession; 3(3-0-0). The longest undefeated streak has been 4(3-0-1). The monthly numbers are as follows: October 4(3-1-0); November 12(8-3-1); December 9(3-5-1).

FANS FLOCK FOR FUN: It was a stellar weekend at the turn styles for Muskegon's "fave-rave" team, the Lumberjacks. On Sunday, the Walker Arena turn styles clicked to the sweet tune of the largest crowd of the season of 4,476. One night earlier, on Saturday night, "Hockey Night in Muskegon," the Lakeshore community rallied to the cause against archenemy Kalamazoo as a loyal, leather-lunged legion of fans in full throat numbered an assemblage of 3,183. In all, close to 8,000 of Muskegon's finest citizenry came to watch and witness their new Lumberjacks do their stylin' and profilin' in the hunt for the championship glory story.

HALLOWED HALL PALL: This past after Christmas weekend, the 'Jacks divided a pair of home appearances in as many nights; dismissing Kalamazoo Saturday night, 3-2 before being humbled the next night by Fort Wayne, 5-1. In the process, the Muskegon home record depreciated to 4(1-3-0) in its last 4-acts at the "L.C." and 7(2-5-0) through the past 7-home performances. For the season, the home log reads 14(9-5-0) after much winning at the beginning by way of a season-starting 7-game win streak downtown at the corner of Fourth Street and W. Western Avenue. On two separate occasions, Muskegon has incurred back-to-back setbacks at home.

TREK TRUMP: The recent Lumberjacks home woes and throes have been mitigated somewhat by the club's seemingly better results abroad the IHL's ship of state. Through 11-games in alien surroundings, the 'Jacks have exceeded the coveted .500 barrier with a mark of 11(5-4-2); extracting 12-total points. Although they have played the fewest foreign ice affairs in the loop, the 'Jacks 4-road setbacks do represent the fewest in the league. They are 5(2-1-2) in their last 5-efforts away from home bay. Last 2(1-0-1) with the best win skein being 2-in a row; 2(2-0-0). Musk-egon has yet to sustain back-to-back setbacks abroad at this juncture of the campaign. Kalamazoo represents the lone IHL hamlet where the 'Jacks have not yet spirited away one of their successes in IHL invasions.

THE CANNONADE PARADE: Since the inception of the season, the Lumberjacks have been the league's most prodigious offensive enterprise. Through 25-games, they have maintained such premiere, primary pinnacle, having unleashed 106-GF for a GFA of 4.24. Remarkably, in 18 of those 25-games, the 'Jacks have scored 4 or more goals with their season-high being 9-strikes. Already 13-different Lumberjacks players have collected double digits in point productivity with 6 of those having connected in double figures in goal-gold; Luke Stauffacher (18); Todd Robinson (13); Henry Kuster (12); Chad Woollard (12); Maxime Lincourt (11); Frank Littlejohn (11).

TOP CROP POP: Center Todd Robinson 24(13-37-50) continues to enjoy a rather sizeable and significant 9-points' advantage atop the IHL scoring elite list. Luke Stauffacher 25(18-13-31) ranks #10; Henry Kuster 24(12-15-27) is tied for 16th and Maxime Lincourt 25(11-12-23) is listed at #23. Stauffacher's 18-goals rank IHL runner-up; Robinson's 37-assists top the loop. Robinson's 11-PP/Assists tie him for #3 while Stauffacher's 3-GWG rank 3rd best circuit-wide. Robinson (2) and Frank Littlejohn (2) share the league leadership in SHG. Stauffacher is 2nd in goal-scoring shooting percentage, 18/71; .254 and Chad Costello 8/33; .242 is 3rd best. Darryl McArthur is the IHL's premiere plus player at +18. Steven Later's 87-PIM are 5th in the league. In the rookie leaders department, Maxime Lincourt 25(11-12-23) is tied for 2nd in scoring with Chad Costello 24(8-7-15) listed #6 and Alec Kirschner 23(2-9-11) ranked 10th. Lincourt (2) and Costello (2) share the league-lead in GWG. Lincourt's 11-goals lead all league rookies and his 12-assists rank 4th most. Lincourt's +11 rating is 3rd best among the IHL rookies. On the defense, Darryl McArthur 25(4-19-23) is 3rd in point-scoring with Matt Gens 25(4-13-17) #7. In the goalkeeping category, Isaac Reichmuth's 13-victories are 2nd most in the IHL, 1-win behind Kalamazoo's Jason Tapp. Reichmuth's 22-GPI tie him for the most in the league; his 585 saves are 3rd and his GAA of 3.85 ranks as 5th in the IHL.

WIRED BY "WOOLY": Ten-year veteran left wing Chad Woollard has found his range and his "MoJo" as was inevitably bound to happen. The feared, revered cannoneer concluded a superior holiday week with some seismic offensive stylings. In 3-games, he was 3(3-1-4) with 12-PIM and 11-SOG. In his squad's 3-2 triumph Saturday night over Kalamazoo, he was heralded as the game's #1 Star, sniping a pair strikes with each of vital importance. His first cannon severed a 1-1 late first period deadlock, creating a lead the Lumberjacks never abdicated. His second howitzer he hummed was the ultimate GWG on the power play to produce the victory. The night previously in Port Huron he engineered 1-goal, 1-assist with his singleton of the tie-breaking, power play goal variety. Leading the 'Jacks in PPG with 5 and having recently completed a 3-game goal-scoring scourge and surge with 3(5-1-6), Woollard is the Lumberjacks nomination for Pepsi / IHL Player of the Week.

IZEE MISERLY: Goaltender Isaac Reichmuth continues to be the guard at the goal gate for the Lumberjacks. Sprouting runner limbs on demand, the 3-year pro posted a 2(1-1-0) record in 2-starts for the weekend. He earned #2 Star status Saturday night with 36-saves in the 'Jacks 3-2 verdict over Kalamazoo. For the week, he repelled 72 of 79-SOG for a SPCT of a sterling .911. For the year, he has been the backbone backstop for 13 of Muskegon's 14-victories while starting 20 of the Lumberjacks 25-games at this stage of the season. Reichmuth is the Lumberjacks nomination for Southern Sports Supply / IHL Goaltender of the Week.

AN ACE FROM ALEX: First year pro defenseman Alex Lamontagne is gaining more and more confidence with every passing game as a rampart on his club's all-important blue line. The past week, the product of the QMJHL celebrated his first-ever professional goal when he laser-beamed the game's key, clutch FG in Muskegon's 3-2 triumph over Kalamazoo. For the week, he was 3(1-1-2) with 3-SOG and 16-PIM. In his last 8-games, he has achieved a sound and solid +5 rating and has been a minus player in only one of those last 8-outings. Lamontagne is the Lumberjacks nomination for Aquafina / IHL Rookie of the Week.

ACHIEVING CHAD: First year right wing Chad Costello is finding his way around the league becoming much smoother and silkier. In his last 4-games, he has registered a prolific 6-points on 3-goals, 3-assists. Included in his recent activity is a recently completed 3-game goal streak which is his first-ever goal scoring streak in his brief but promising pro career. Costello has soared to circuit 6th in league-wide rookie scoring for the season with 24(8-7-15), recording a superb +8 rating and 2-GWG with both of those stoked on the road.

LONG TIME COMING: Five-year veteran goaltender Clayton Pool and defenseman Dan Boeser both marked their respective returns to the Lumberjacks lineup this past weekend with more than satisfactory report cards. The second winningest goaltender in franchise history, Pool made his first appearance since October 31st and merely his second appearance all season long Friday night in Port Huron where the 'Jacks earned one precious point in the standings in a 6-5 OT affair. Meanwhile, the all-star defenseman Boeser, made his long-awaited Muskegon debut in the 'Jacks Saturday night decision over Kalamazoo. Both players were restored to the lineup after lengthy absences due to last season injuries which required corrective surgery to repair and delay their 2008-09 seasons.

NEED PEP IN PP STEP: Muskegon's special teams are looking for a way out of the abyss as they seem to run amuck and amiss. The extra man band has fallen to circuit 6th with a proficiency rating of 14.3% on 17-119. Their 17-PPG are 8-less than every other team in the league. The man advantage artillery has been on target on only 4 for the last 61-opportunities for a rating of 6.6%. The penalty-killing cast is rated 5th in the league at 76.3% with the opposition operating at 32-135. The opponents are 12 for the last 37 for a PK efficiency rating of 67.6%; 15 for the last 51 for a rating of 70.6%. Muskegon has achieved the distinction of being the lone team in the IHL not to permit a SHGA so far this season.

MILESTONES STUDYING: Head Coach Bruce Ramsay (98) needs just 2-more victories to become only the third coach in modern day Muskegon pro hockey history to reach 100-wins behind the Muskegon bench. Only Rich Kromm and Todd Nelson have preceded Ramsay. Center Billy Collins (294) is 6-games away from pro career 300, all with Muskegon. Darryl McArthur (445) is 5-ganes away from pro career 450. Frank Littlejohn's assist on Todd Robinson's goal Sunday against Fort Wayne was the 450th point in his 11-year pro career.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": With their 3-2 triumph Saturday night over Kalamazoo, Muskegon swelled its home win streak over the Wings to 6(6-0-0), outscoring the Wings, 21-8. The 'Jacks remain unsullied in 1-goal games this season at 8(6-0-2) and a perfect 4(4-0-0) at home. The Lumberjacks best night of the week at home is Saturday with a mark of 6(5-1-0). Muskegon is unblemished this season entering the third period with the lead at 9(9-0-0). Muskegon is 6(5-1-0) when holding the lead after the 1st period. The 'Jacks have already lost 44-manpower games due to injuries to their defense. Luke Stauffacher's 2-goals Friday night in Port Huron represented his 6th multi-goal game of the year. Muskegon's best period on the road this season has been the third where they have outscored the adversary, 24-14.

WEEK'S REWIND: Confronted with 3-games in 3-nights as part of a rigorous regimen of 7-games in 9-days, the Lumberjacks responded with a 3(1-1-1) record. Beginning the after Christmas schedule the night after Christmas Friday night in Port Huron, the visitors gained one precious point in the standings through a 6-5 OT outcome. Muskegon actually surmounted a 4-2 deficit to seize the third period lead, 5-4 before the Icehawks rebounded with the win. Luke Stauffacher fired a pair of goals; Chad Woollard was (1-1-2)TBG/PPG, Chad Costello, Maxime Lincourt also delivered with Todd Robinson and Darryl McArthur each assisting thrice. Clayton Pool faced a 53-shot fusillade, in making 47-saves. Saturday night at home against Kalamazoo, the 'Jacks subdued the torrid Wings, 3-1. Woollard rifled a pair of strikes including the TBG in the opening period and the GWG/PPG in the second stanza. Alex Lamontagne scored his first-ever pro goal. Isaac Reichmuth was scintillating in goal with 36-saves. Sunday, in the re-scheduled game from the December 19th postponement, Fort Wayne jolted the 'Jacks, 5-1. Todd Robinson accounted for his club's sole goal.

THE LUMBERJACKS GAME CALENDAR THIS WEEK:

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30TH BLOOMINGTON AT THE LUMBERJACKS 7:00 PM

The two teams will collide three times this week with the first one on this date at Walker Arena. The Lumberjacks and the Prairie Thunder have their series balanced at 4(2-2-0). Each team is 2(1-1-0) at home as well as on the road against each other at this hour of the season. In Muskegon thus far, we have seen the tale of two contrasting contests in the span of less than a week. On November 22nd, the Lumberjacks dismantled the Illinois squadron in a resounding pounding of 9-5. However, on November 28th in the last actual clash, the Prairie Thunder got even with a similarly stunning performance in a 5-1 triumph.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31ST THE LUMBERJACKS AT KALAMAZOO 7:30 PM

For these two archrivals, the fifth meeting of the season and the second in Kalamazoo where the Wings submerged the visitors, 9-5, back on November 1st. Muskegon tops the series so far at 4(3-1-0) with home ice advantage tantamount to success in each victory. The 'Jacks are 3(3-0-0) at home and 1(0-1-0) at Wings Stadium against the Kalamazooans this season.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2ND THE LUMBERJACKS AT BLLOOMINGTON 8:00 PM

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3RD THE LUMBERJACKS AT BLOOMINGTON 8:00 PM



International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 29, 2008


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