Muskegon Scores Five Unanswered to Top Steel
USHL Chicago Steel

Muskegon Scores Five Unanswered to Top Steel

Published on February 6, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - The Muskegon Lumberjacks (27-14-0-1; 55 pts.) scored five unanswered goals including four in the third period to hand the Steel (18-17-5-2, 43 pts.) a 5-2 loss Friday night at Trinity Health Arena.

All five Muskegon goals came in the last 21 minutes of the game after Chicago had scored the game's first two goals.

Jackson Crowder scored his 12th goal and fifth in four games late in the first period, and Ryland Rooney tallied his tenth score of the season. Goaltender Louis-Felix Charrois stopped 28 of 32 shots in the loss.

Less than three minutes into the opening frame, Patrick Tolan was available in the slot and got a centering feed that just missed the mark.

Shortly after, Niles Benson had a chance down the right wing after getting a step around a Steel defender and whistled a shot high and wide.

Chicago's defense was on display when Jonas Kemps broke up a centering feed to the slot following a Steel turnover.

Muskegon pushed the pace when Carter Amico received a slick pass and ripped a shot over the right portion of the cage.

After the halfway mark, Drew Stewart navigated around defenders and carried in with numbers, but Kemps again came up big with a break-up to negate the chance. Muskegon quickly got on the puck following Kemps' defensive play, but Charrois made the stop.

The Lumberjacks had their best chance of the period on a Viktor Norringer one-timer in the low slot, but Charrois made a sterling save, squeezing the puck between his blocker and his body.

Following an offensive zone faceoff win, Drew Stewart got loose and tried to wait out Charrois just above the crease, but the Steel netminder made a massive glove stop and denied a one-timer on the ensuing sequence.

Late in the frame, Alex Assadourian had open space at the left circle and throttled a shot that missed its mark.

Chicago got a late goal when Tolan had a shot blocked, but the rebound bounced to Crowder who fired over the glove of Muskegon goaltender Carl Axelsson for his fourth goal in two games, making it 1-0.

Muskegon outshot the Steel 12-5 in the opening frame.

Offsetting roughing minors were called at the end of the first period, creating four-on-four play to start the second frame.

Early in the open-ice action, Crowder sauced a cross-ice feed to Marco Senerchia, who fired a low shot that was turned away by Axelsson.

Still in the early moments of the period, Muskegon created a two-on-one. Adam Belusko got a backdoor feed and shoveled it into Charrois before falling and taking out the Steel netminder. The puck crossed the goal line as a result of the contact, but the officials ruled no goal and confirmed the call after a short video review.

After a penalty on Carter Sanderson, Chicago's power play unit went to work and maintained the zone for nearly the full two minutes.

Timo Kazda ripped a one-timer early in the advantage that was sealed by Axelsson, and almost created a goal when an attempted backdoor pass for Benson Grande failed to connect.

Brady Kudrick had Ashton Schultz wide open at the backdoor after the Steel caught Muskegon in a change, but the pass narrowly missed the mark.

After the Lumberjacks cleared the zone to kill the penalty, Luke Goukler went on the attack on an odd-man rush and lifted a shot on goal that was nicely blocked away by Axelsson.

Before the midway point, Alex Assadourian put a shot on that was mostly stopped, but the rebound got to Rooney, who punched it on goal and had it leak through Axelsson, but the puck was cleared by Muskegon.

At 9:08, Assadourian made a great play to intercept a Muskegon breakout pass and centered a pass to Rooney, who worked around Axelsson and scored on an open net to make it 2-0.

The Steel had all the makings of taking their 2-0 lead into the third period, but Amico, at the left halfwall, flung a centering feed into the slot for Sanderson, who fired a one-timer past the blocker of Charrois to make it 2-1 with one minute left in the period.

Chicago was penalized with five seconds left in the frame, sending the Lumberjacks to a power play to start the third.

The Steel successfully killed the penalty, but the Lumberjacks received a friendly home-ice bounce just over two minutes into the third when Branko Vukas fired a point shot that deflected off a Steel defender and in to tie the game at 2-2.

Another Steel penalty just 21 seconds later gave Muskegon another chance on the advantage and they made it count with seven seconds to spare when Melvin Novotny pitched a perfect pass to Norringer, who ripped a one-timer past Charrois to give the Lumberjacks a 3-2 lead.

Norringer added his second goal of the night with just over five minutes left on a wicked shot from the right circle to make it 4-2.

Chicago pulled Charrois for an extra attacker with 1:32 left, but Novotny cashed in on the empty cage.

The two teams will conclude their four-game stretch on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 5:10 pm CT in Muskegon.

Following a road matchup against Waterloo on Friday, Feb. 13, the Steel will return home on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7:05 pm CT for a Fox Valley Celebration presented by McCormick FONA, a signature event in the team's Fox Valley Farewell Tour. Chicago will wear special jerseys for the game that feature different elements of the Fox Valley in a tribute to the team's 11 seasons in Geneva. The jerseys will be auctioned off to benefit the Geneva Academic Foundation.

Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3:05 pm CT is Part One of the team's Trading Card Set Giveaway presented by River Front Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Truck Center. Fans can get their cards signed after the game during Full Team Post-Game Autographs.

Tickets for all Steel home games are on sale now starting at just $10.

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:

Saturday, February 7 at Muskegon Lumberjacks (5:10 pm CT) Friday, February 13 at Waterloo Black Hawks (6:35 pm CT) Saturday, February 14 vs. Tri-City Storm (7:05 pm CT) | Fox Valley Celebration presented by McCormick FONA | Special Jersey Auction to benefit Geneva Academic Foundation (GAF)

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2026


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