Week #20 Preview: Time to Right the Ship. Jacks Battle Steel
USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Week #20 Preview: Time to Right the Ship. Jacks Battle Steel

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


MUSKEGON, MI - While the Muskegon Lumberjacks find themselves securely in a playoff spot entering week 20 of the USHL regular season, the latest stretch of play doesn't portray the talent in the Jacks lineup. After a tough showing in Chicago last weekend, the Jacks look for redemption and have a chance to get back to Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey with a weekend series against the Chicago Steel.

The two games at Trinity Health Arena are the third and fourth straight match ups between the two teams. Last week Chicago won both games by scores of 4-3 and 6-3.

Week 20 Preview: Redemption

For the first time since January 2025, the Lumberjacks finished a calendar month with a sub .500 record. A year ago, the Jacks held a 4-4-0-2 record in first month of the year. This time around, the story was similar with a 4-4-01 record. Part of the record was a loss on the last day of the month to the Steel last Saturday.

The week 19 series between Muskegon and Chicago at the Fox Valley Ice Arena brought the 2nd and 3rd meetings of the season between the two teams with different stories on each night. Saturday, the Jacks scored first as the teams traded goals through the first 40 minutes to carry a 2-2 tie into the third period.

Niles Benson (Tampa, FL) opened the scoring in the first period with a power play goal, but James Scantlebury tied the game in the early stages of the second period with his first goal of the game. Viktor Norringer (Kungsbacka, SWE) regained the Lumberjacks lead halfway through the frame, but moments later the Steel responded again. Timo Kazda capitalized on a nice pass from Jackson Crowder while the teams skated at 4-on-4.

Chicago struck on each end of the third period to take a 4-2 lead late in regulation. Alexander Assadourian scored the first just a couple minutes into the frame, and Scantlebury added his second goal of the game with 3 minutes left to play. The comeback effort from the Jacks included the first career USHL goal for Louis Jonerheim (Lund, SWE) but fell short in the 4-3 loss.

Saturday was a much different score line only thanks to a pair of empty net goals for the Steel. Crowder got the scoring started with a pair of goals in the first period. The Washington Capitals draft pick recorded 4 points in the game and a was a big part of the Steel's 3-0 lead after the first period.

Two goals in the middle frame helped the Jacks climb back into the game. Jack Christ (Chaska, MN) scored the first while Benson added another power play goal to bring the deficit to a single goal.

Crowder finished off his hat trick in the third period to extend the lead back to a pair before Benson added a second goal of his own to again bring the game to within a single goal. Not one, but two empty netters gave the Steel a lopsided scoreline in a game the Jacks won the shot battle by over 10 (33-22).

With the series shifting to Muskegon, the Jacks have a chance for redemption. Wins have been plentiful on home ice for the Lumberjacks who hold a 15-3-0-1 record at Trinity Health Arena. The weekend series not only provides an opportunity to clinch another season series win, but a chance to break free of mediocracy and get back to the success from the start of the season.

Countdown to 500: Lumberjacks at 492 Wins All-Time

With a win last Friday, the jacks move one step closer to the 500th win in franchise history. Last week we looked at the seven head coaches in Lumberjacks USHL history, and the breakdown of wins between them. This week, we shift our focus to the men between the pipes and the leading net minders in Lumberjacks history.

Since 2010, 49 goalies have played for the Lumberjacks. Below are the all-time leaders in wins, games played, and shutouts.

Wins

Eric Schierhorn (2013-15): 46

Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev (2023-25): 37

Brandon Bussi (2018-19): 33

Keegan Karki (2017-18): 24

Kevin Lindskoug (2012-13): 23

Keith Petruzzelli (2016-17): 22

Joey Daccord (2015-16): 21

Stephen Peck (2023-25): 20

Carl Axelsson (2025-26): 20

Adam Brizgala (2016-18): 19

Games Played

Eric Schierhorn (2013-15): 83

Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev (2023-25): 64

Brandon Bussi (2018-19): 52

Joey Daccord (2015-16): 48

Kevin Lindskoug (2012-13): 47

Shutouts

Kevin Lindskoug (2012-13): 8

Brandon Bussi (2018-19): 7

Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev (2023-25): 4

Eric Schierhorn (2013-15): 3

Adam Brizgala (2016-18): 3

Paul Berrafalo (2010-12): 3

Over the Airwaves

FloHockey is the official live stream partner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Follow along all season long on FloHockey, or with a free internet radio feed available on Mixlr and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network, with Voice of the Jacks, Ezra Gennello.

Thirty minutes to puck drop every game day, tune into the Pregame Show on Facebook Live. New for this season, the whole pregame show will be available on FloHockey before all Lumberjacks home games.

Upcoming Games

Fri. February 6 | 7:00 pm EST | vs Chicago Steel

Sat. February 7 | 6:00 pm EST | vs Chicago Steel

Fri. February 13 | 7:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms

Sat. February 14 | 6:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms

Sun. February 15 | 4:05 pm EST | at Youngstown Phantoms

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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