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USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Penalties, Ejections, and More as Jacks Fall 3-1 in Youngstown

February 21, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, OH - You might not have to agree with them, but in the end it was the officiating that determined the winner on Friday night as the Muskegon Lumberjacks (26-12-3-4, 59 pts.) fell to the Youngstown Phantoms (28-15-0-1, 55 pts.). Multiple ejections and misconducts led the way to a 3-1 final.

On their first power play of the game the Jacks struck just :5 seconds into the advantage to take a 1-0 lead. 1:05 into the game Matthew Van Blaricom (Southey, SK, CAN) drew a penalty sending the Jacks to an advantage. Tynan Lawrence (Fredericton, NB, CAN) leaned in for the draw on the far side of the ice and won it back to Ivan Ryabkin (Balakovo, RUS) in the middle of the zone. Ryabkin fired a one-timer between the legs of the netminder for his 9th goal of the season.

The Phantoms scored the next three goals over the remaining 40 minutes of play, but it didn't come without controversy. The first goal came 2:05 into the second period from Jamison Sluys. Adam Benak led a rush up the far side of the ice and slid a pass across the slot to Sluys on the near side for a one-time blast to the back of the net.

Then, later in the period, David Deputy (Gurnee, IL) was ejected from the game for leaving the bench for an altercation despite being on the ice for the shift leading into the fight at the 14:45 mark of the period. Deputy wasn't the only Lumberjack to hit the showers before the end of the second period. Ryabkin laid a hit onto a Phantom resulting in a flurry of altercations between the 10 players on the ice. Following a video review Ryabkin was ejected from the game for head contact despite his hands driving through the chest of the opposing player.

The 5-minute major sent Youngstown to an extended powerplay which they started the third period with. Evan Jardine took advantage of the opportunity with the game winning goal :55 seconds into the final frame. Benak slid the puck to Sluys on the near side of the ice who returned it to the middle of the slot for Jardine. Another one-timer found the back of the net to make it 2-1 in favor of Youngstown.

With :3 seconds left in the game Ryan Rucinski found the empty net to extend the lead and send the Phantoms on their way to the 3-1 win.

Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev (Makhachkala, RUS) (14-7-1-1) earned the loss on his record, but made numerous big saves including 22/24 keeping the Jacks in contention throughout the game. Melvin Stahl (22-10-0-0) stopped 17 of the Jacks 18 shots enroute to the win.

The teams close out the weekend series tomorrow night at the Covelli Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 pm EST and can be found on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network Presented by Lakeside Surfaces.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2025


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