USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Sioux City Tops Muskegon 4-1 in Series Opener

Published on February 23, 2018 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - Anthony Del Gaizo made history on Friday night but it wasn't enough to edge Sioux City as the Muskegon Lumberjacks fell to the Musketeers 4-1 at LC Walker Arena.

Wyatt Bongiovanni returned to lineup after missing 16 games with an injury, and nearly opened the scoring just seconds into the game. Bongiovanni rifled a wrister from the slot, but it was turned aside by goaltender Ben Kraws, starting a theme for a night that featured 29 Kraws saves.

It would be the visitors who would open the scoring: after the Musketeers sent the puck down the ice, Dylan Mills was able to beat out icing, and pick up the puck in front of the Muskegon net. He then deked past Jacks goaltender Keegan Karki and slipped the puck in low, on the ice, to give Sioux City the 1-0 lead.

That would be Mills' first of two goals on the night.

Almost 7 minutes into the second period Sioux City forward Micah Miller unloaded a cannon of a shot from the left circle that beat Karki clean over the blocker. The play was upheld after a short video review to give the Musketeers a 2-0 lead.

Despite generating some stellar chances, Muskegon could not find a way to beat Kraws until the late stages of the second.

The Jacks finally got on the board whenMikaelHakkarainen picked up his own rebound and fired a shot past Kraws. Hakkarainen's goal, his 11th of the season, brought Muskegon back within one. It was Hakkarainen's first game back in the lineup since suffering an injury on February 3.

Anthony Del Gaizo picked up the only assist on the goal and netted his 50th point of the season. Del Gaizo's assist makes him just the 11th Jack to net 50 points in a single season.

Not long after though, a rare power play goal for Sioux City gave them the 3-1 lead. A shot came in from Cole Koepke at the point and after Karki made the initial save, Mills put home the rebound to net his second of the game and extend the Musketeer lead to 3-1.

Koepke got an empty net goal to seal the 4-1 victory for Sioux City.

The loss drops Muskegon to (22-19-2) while Sioux City ends their two game losing streak to improve to (19-16-6).

The Lumberjacks will have a chance at revenge on Saturday when they rematch the Musketeers. Puck drop is set for 7:15 pm.

Muskegon goal: Hakkarainen (11)

Muskegon assist: A. Del Gaizo (20)

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2018


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