Stewart, Christ 3-Point Nights Power Jacks to 5-3 Win. Tie ECF 1-1.
USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Stewart, Christ 3-Point Nights Power Jacks to 5-3 Win. Tie ECF 1-1.

Published on May 2, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - Game one of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday night was low scoring, but game two on Saturday night was a shootout between the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Madison Capitols. A three-point performance from Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) (1g, 2a) and Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) (1g, 2a) helped the Jacks to a 5-3 win.

With the result, the Eastern Conference Final is tied 1-1 as the series shifts to Madison and the Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena Middleton for games three and four on Friday and Saturday night of next week.

Madison opened the scoring with their first shot of the game just 1:46 into the action. Stephen Cover carried the puck into the Muskegon zone and ripped a shot into the top corner of the net to give the Caps a 1-0 lead early in game two.

Muskegon responded three minutes later to tie the game 1-1, the score the teams carried into the first intermission. Stewart entered the Madison zone with the puck on the near side of the zone. Stewart sent a pass across the top of the slot to Christ on the far side, who hit Carter Amico (Westbrook, ME) on his way down the slot. Amico sent a shot to the near corner of the net for his first goal of the playoffs.

A pair of goals came in the second period for the Lumberjacks to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Christ scored the first 7:11 into the middle frame on a great passing play from the Lumberjacks. Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) received a breakout pass on the far wall of the Muskegon zone and tapped it to the middle of the ice for Christ to receive on his way over the red line. Christ gave the puck to Rudolfs Berzkalns (Cesis, LAT) on the near side, who returned it to Christ in the middle of the ice, where he sent a shot to the back of the net.

The next goal was scored by Stewart at the 16:25 mark of the frame. Carter Sanderson (Pierre, SD) sent a shot on goal that was turned aside. Melvin Novotny (Stockholm, SWE) followed up with a shot of his own that was stopped as well. The rebound found its way onto Stewart's stick on the near side of the net, where he pulled it above the goal line and got it just inside the post for his 5th goal of the playoffs.

With just over a minute remaining in the period, the Capitols added a goal to keep the game close heading into the third period. Will Dosan won a faceoff on the near side of the Muskegon zone to Nolen Geerdes at the blue line. Geerdes tapped a pass to Michael Tang, who pulled a toe drag and ripped a shot into the bottom corner of the net for his first Clark Cup Playoff game.

Lucas Prud'homme tied the game for the Capitols 12:04 into the third period, 3-3. A turnover at the Madison blue line sent Prud'homme into the Muskegon zone while on a breakaway. On his way down the middle of the ice, he fired a shot under the blocker of the goalie to even the score with eight minutes left in regulation.

Sanderson got his team back in the lead with four minutes to play in regulation with a gritty goal tight in the blue paint. Stewart wrapped the puck around the far side of the goal and got a shot on goal, where Sanderson met the rebound on the near side and tapped it to the back of the net for his second point of the game, 3rd goal of the playoffs.

Berzkalns buried an empty net goal with 1:15 left in the third period to extend the Jacks' lead to 5-3 and even the Eastern Conference Final at one win a piece. Christ and Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) picked up the assists on the goal.

Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) (6-3) earned the win with 19 saves on 22 shots faced in the game. Caleb Heil (6-2) turned aside 41 of the 45 shots he faced, earning the loss on his playoff record.

The series shifts to Madison for games three and four on Friday and Saturday night at Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena in Middleton, WI. Catch the action on FloHockey and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network presented by Grey Supply Corp.

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from May 2, 2026


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