Alumni Report: Berry on the board for Sparty

Every week, Voice of the Lumberjacks Matt Gajtka provides an update on the exploits of former Jacks now playing in the NCAA.

 

Matt Berry, Michigan State University – Berry buried his first-ever collegiate goal to help the Spartans (4-4-0) polish off a sweep of visiting Robert Morris. Now with three points, the freshman forward will travel to Kalamazoo to face Western Michigan Nov. 11 and 12.

 

Isaac Kohls, Niagara University – Kohls has proven to be a valuable contributor for the Purple Eagles, who gave No. 16 Colgate all it could handle in a home-and-home last week. The former Jack scored late to tie Friday’s game 6-6 before Colgate prevailed in OT. It was his second NCAA goal.

 

Ryan Misiak, Mercyhurst University – Last year’s leading Lumberjacks scorer became the third Muskegon alumnus to write his name in the goal column when he netted the game winner against RIT Friday. The Lakers then went to Cornell and stunned the No. 19 Big Red 5-4 Saturday. Mercyhurst (2-4-0) has two home games with UConn on the docket next.

 

Casey Thrush, University of New Hampshire – The Wildcats (2-4-1) broke through for their first win against No. 11 Union in overtime Friday, then Thrush had his own coming-out party the next night, assisting on UNH’s first two goals in a 5-2 win over Northeastern. Thrush and the ‘Cats square off with UMass and Maine next.

 

Brendan Woods, University of Wisconsin – After tallying his first NCAA goal in spectacular fashion against North Dakota, Woods had a quieter weekend as the Badgers split a home series with Nebraska-Omaha. He registered the lone assist on the clinching empty-net goal Saturday at the Kohl Center, helping Wisconsin get back to .500 (4-4-0); UW takes on St. Cloud State on the road this weekend.

 

Chris Lochner, Niagara University – Lochner suited up for one of two matchups with Colgate. The Purple Eagles (1-3-2) grabbed their first win of the year Saturday and will collide with Holy Cross at home this weekend.

 

John Parker, University of Maine – Parker and the Black Bears swept Providence in a home twinbill, improving their record to 3-2-1. Hockey East play resumes with excursions to Boston College and New Hampshire this weekend.

 

Jaycob Megna, University of Nebraska-Omaha – Megna, last year’s USHL co-Scholar Athlete of the Year, dressed for the Mavs (4-4-0) in the second of two games at Wisconsin. UNO has a tall task this weekend, as it entertains No. 2 Colorado in a two-game set.  

 

Charlie Taft, Colorado College – Taft’s No. 2 Tigers (4-0-0) remained perfect on the season with a road sweep of RPI in Troy, N.Y. The competition gets stiffer as they have a two-game showdown with WCHA rival Nebraska-Omaha to look forward to.

 

Alexx Privitera, Boston University – The No. 12 Terriers (3-2-1) played some extra hockey this weekend, earning a win and a tie in two overtime games. Privitera was a scratch for both but has been playing regularly on the BU blueline. UMass-Lowell is next on the schedule.

 

Mike Conderman, University of Massachusetts-Lowell – The River Hawks dropped a pair of games to No. 1 Boston College last weekend. Conderman is injured and has yet to dress for a regular-season game.

 

Micki Mihailovich, University of Massachusetts-Lowell – Unfortunately, Mihailovich has joined his old Lumberjack teammate on the DL. The River Hawks (2-3-1) continue Hockey East play with a home match with No. 12 Boston U.

 

Matt Gajtka is the Broadcaster/Director of Communications for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com!

Countdown to Puck Drop (8): Jacks vs. Waterloo

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

Vs. WATERLOO BLACK HAWKS

L.C. WALKER ARENA, MUSKEGON, MICH.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

 

GAME PREVIEW

The Muskegon Lumberjacks close out the month of October one day after breaking out for their first home win and most complete effort of the season. The Waterloo Black Hawks skate into town for their third game in as many nights, seeking to stay on top in the Western Conference. This is the only contest on the USHL slate for the day.

 

Five different Lumberjacks (2-5-0, 4 points / 8th in East) recorded two-point nights in a 5-1 drubbing of the Chicago Steel Saturday night in Muskegon. Dakota Klecha lit the lamp twice, giving him a team-high five and four in his last two matches. Ryan Lomberg and defenseman Mark Yanis racked up a goal and an assist each, and returner Paul Berrafato returned to the Jacks’ goal crease, earning his second win.

 

For the second time in eight days, the Lumberjacks host a first-place team. Last Saturday it was defending USHL champ Dubuque and today it’s the Waterloo Black Hawks (5-3-1, 8 points / 1st in West). The Hawks are wrapping up a grueling road weekend, as they played Friday and Saturday in Indiana, splitting the two games at Pepsi Coliseum. Last night Joe Rehkamp scored with five second left in the third to lift Waterloo to a dramatic 4-3 decision.

 

JACKS FACTS

• In addition to Klecha, Lomberg and Yanis, the Jacks received two assists from Matt DeBlouw and John Padulo. Tyler Heinonen, a rookie forward from Delano, Minn., connected in the second period for his first league goal in four games played.
• Muskegon’s offense has received a significant boost from its blueliners, as first-year defenseman Ryan Bullock (G, 5 A) is tied with Klecha for the team points lead and fellow rookie Kevin Schulze also has five helpers to his name. Schulze, Yanis and returning D-man Travis Walsh all wrote their names on the scoresheet last night.
• Departed forwards John Parker (University of Maine) and Casey Thrush (University of New Hampshire) each rung up three points in the season series with Waterloo last season. Returners Jordan Masters, Travis Belohrad and Walsh each had a point against the Black Hawks in 2010-11.

 

BLACK HAWKS DOWN

• Despite their impressive record, the Black Hawks have allowed as many goals as they have scored (24-24). What they have done well is grab control early (5-0-1 when scoring first) and earn points in tight situations (2-0-1 in one-goal games).
• Rookie forward Taylor Cammarata doesn’t look impressive on the roster sheet, as the 16-year-old is listed at 5-foot-6 and 145 pounds. His production, on the other hand, has been prodigious. His 10 points place him one back of the USHL lead and he is the league leader in assists with eight. The Minnesotan has at least a point in four straight entering the weekend.
• Goaltender Jay Williams is among the league’s top five in minutes played and stands seventh in save percentage (.916) and eighth in goals-against average (2.37). He earned a win in his lone appearance vs. Muskegon last season, stopping 26 of 27 shots.
• Third-year USHLer Tyler Zepeda accumulated four points and a plus-3 rating in four games against the Jacks in 2010-11; Vince Hinostroza collected a pair of goals. With two wins and a shootout loss, the Hawks picked up five of a possible eight points vs. Muskegon.

Countdown to Puck Drop (7): Jacks vs. Chicago

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

Vs. CHICAGO STEEL

L.C. WALKER ARENA, MUSKEGON, MICH.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011

 

GAME PREVIEW

The Muskegon Lumberjacks, eager to climb the Eastern Conference standings, get a third crack at the rival Chicago Steel tonight. The Jacks begin a four-game homestand and will host nine of their next 13 after five of their first six occurred on the road. The Steel, who lead the season series 2-0 on the strength of two home wins, start a five-game trip tonight.

 

The Lumberjacks (1-5-0, 2 points / 8^th in East) will be seeking to atone for last Saturday’s home opener, a 4-0 loss to defending league champ Dubuque. Muskegon had no trouble scoring the next afternoon in Chicago, with Dakota Klecha (2 G, A) and Josh Henke (3 A) each contributing three points to the cause. However, the Steel rallied with four goals in the third to top the Jacks 7-4 Sunday.

 

The Steel (4-4-0, 8 points / 6^th in East) ran their modest winning streak to two Friday night in Chicago with a 6-4 comeback win over Team USA. After being outshot 20-5 in the first period and trailing 2-0, the Steel woke up in the final 40 minutes on the back of Andrew Miller, who netted his second straight hat trick. He is now tied with Zach Saar for the team lead in goals with six. Goalie Mathias Dahlstrom stopped a USHL season-high 44 shots in his fourth win.

 

JACKS FACTS

• Klecha netted the Jacks’ first two-goal game of the season Sunday at Chicago. The Taylor, Mich., native and future Ferris State Bulldog also collected an assist for a three-point performance, matching linemate Henke’soutput. Defenseman Ryan Bullock has the only other three-point game for Muskegon so far.
• Bullock leads Muskegon in points (5) and Klecha is tops in goal-scoring (3), but the Jacks offense has been quite diversified through six games. Ten different players have goals – Matt DeBlouw, Ryan Lomberg and Travis Belohrad each have two – and 14 Lumberjacks have at least a point.
• Muskegon’s offense has been slightly below USHL average (2.67 goals/game), but goal prevention has been the culprit behind the team’s sputtering start. The Jacks have surrendered 5.67 red lights per tilt, most in the 16-team league. Des Moines has given up the second-most at 4.50.
• Although they’ve dropped a pair in Chicago, a fair share of Jacks have found the scoresheet in the season series. Joona Manninen drilled his first USHL goal last Saturday, joining DeBlouw, Lomberg, Bullock and Michael Moran as lamp-lighters against the Steel.

 

STEEL CAGE MATCH

• Chicago will go for two straight home wins Friday night vs. Team USA before traveling four hours to Muskegon to finish their weekend. Pending Friday’s game, Swedish goalie Dahlstrom has played every minute for the Steel on the season, stopping more than 91 percent of shots faced in his rookie USHL campaign.
• West Michigan’s Saar(Plainwell) and fellow second-year forward Michael Fallon lead the Steel with seven points each, but they took a back seat to league sophomores Miller (hat trick) and Jimmy Devito (four points) in Chicago’s 7-4 comeback win over Muskegon last Sunday.
• Chicago’s penalty kill continues to be excellent, with a 92.9 percent success rate that’s less than a percentage point below Dubuque’s league-leading mark. But the Jacks may have a secret, as they’ve scored the only two power-play goals against the Steel this season, with Moran and DeBlouw connecting.

Jacks alumnus Privitera ranked among top freshman defensemen

Inside College Hockey, a nationally-respected source for information and insight on the NCAA level, has a high opinion of former Lumberjacks defenseman Alexx Privitera.

 

Privitera, a freshman at prestigious hockey power Boston University, is ranked eighth on Inside College Hockey’s Top 20 Incoming Defenseman list, released last week.

 

The list is compiled after Inside College Hockey contributors exchanged information with pro scouts and top college coaches, although the rankings reflect potential to perform in the NCAA, not the NHL. Thirteen of the top 20 are alumni of the USHL.

 

Old Tappan, New Jersey’s Privitera jumped from the U.S. National Team to the Lumberjacks for the 2010-11 season. The decision proved to be a good one, as he raised his stock dramatically with a 10-goal, 34-point season that ranked him fourth among USHL blueliners.

 

Explore the exploits of all the former Jacks playing in college in the Alumni Report every week here on the Lumberjacks Blog!

 

Matt Gajtka is the Broadcaster/Director of Communications for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com!

Alumni Report: Brendan Woods hits the highlight reel

Every week, Voice of the Lumberjacks Matt Gajtka provides an update on the exploits of former Jacks now playing in the NCAA.

 

Brendan Woods, University of Wisconsin – Let the video tell the story as Woods tickled the twine for his first collegiate goal against North Dakota Friday: 

Said Badgers coach Mike Eaves: “The boys were saying they’d have to get up early to see that play on ESPN.” It was a highlight reel weekend in general for UW, as it registered a weekend sweep over rival NoDak; Woods earned an assist in Saturday’s 5-4 thriller, too. Wisconsin (3-3-0) hosts Nebraska-Omaha next weekend at the Kohl Center.

 

Matt Berry, Michigan State University – Berry had an assist, his second, three shots and a plus-1 rating in the Spartans’ 3-0 home-opening win over CCHA rival Ohio State Friday. MSU (2-4-0) dropped a 5-2 decision to the Buckeyes the next night, but Berry once again picked up a helper, giving him three points in four games played. The Spartans entertain Robert Morris this weekend at Munn Arena.

 

Jaycob Megna, University of Nebraska-Omaha – Megna saw his brother, forward Jayson, score his first NCAA goal Saturday as the Mavericks finished a weekend sweep. Jaycob skated in Friday night's win over Alaska Anchorage. Nebraska-Omaha (3-3-0) travels to Wisconsin to continue WCHA play this weekend.

 

Casey Thrush, University of New Hampshire – The Wildcats (0-4-1) are still in search of their first win after losing 7-5 Friday and earning a 3-3 tie Saturday; St. Cloud State was the opponent for both road contests. Thrush assisted on UNH’s first goal Friday, his first collegiate point; he was a plus-2 despite the St. Cloud offensive onslaught. The Wildcats will keep plugging away against Union and Northeastern this weekend.

 

Alexx Privitera, Boston University – Privitera logged a regular shift on the No. 12 Terriers’ blueline, blocking two shots and recording a plus-1 rating in a 5-4 home loss to Holy Cross. BU led 2-1 in the first period but surrendered four straight goals to drop to 2-2-0. The Terriers take on UMass in a home-and-home next.

 

Isaac Kohls, Niagara University – A week after scoring his first NCAA tally, Kohls fired two shots but was held off the scoresheet in the Purple Eagles’ impressive 3-3 tie with No. 12 Union in their home opener.

 

Chris Lochner, Niagara University – Lochner recorded two penalty minutes for Niagara (0-2-2), which will skate in a home-and-home series with Colgate this Friday and Saturday, with the home leg scheduled first.

 

Ryan Misiak, Mercyhurst University – The Lakers (4-2-0) had the week off and will line up against the Division I ACHA Lindenwood University Lions for a Friday-Saturday series in St. Charles, Mo.

 

John Parker, University of Maine – Parker and the 1-2-1 Black Bears sat idle, but will be back in action at home against Providence Friday and Saturday.

 

Charlie Taft, Colorado College – Ranked No. 3 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey Poll, the Tigers (2-0-0) return to the ice in Troy, N.Y., to face RPI after a bye week.

 

Mike Conderman, University of Massachusetts-Lowell – The River Hawks rallied from two goals down to force sudden death in a 3-2 OT loss to UConn last Tuesday. Conderman is injured and has yet to dress for a regular-season game.

 

Micki Mihailovich, University of Massachusetts-Lowell – Unfortunately, Mihailovich has joined his old Lumberjack teammate on the DL. The River Hawks (2-1-0) play No. 1 Boston College twice this upcoming weekend.

 

Matt Gajtka is the Broadcaster/Director of Communications for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com!

Countdown to Puck Drop (6): Jacks at Chicago

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

@ CHICAGO STEEL

EDGE ICE ARENA, BENSENVILLE, ILLINOIS

sUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011 – 4:00 p.m. ET

 

GAME PREVIEW

It’s a quick turnaround today for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, as they play their second game in less than 24 hours. Last night, the Jacks dropped their home opener at L.C. Walker Arena, but the schedule-maker won’t let them dwell on it for too long, as they battle the Chicago Steel on the road for the second time in three weeks.

 

The Lumberjacks (1-4-0, 2 points/8th in East) were shut out Saturday night for the first time since Mar. 18 – a span of 18 games, including playoffs. Newcomer John Keeney acquitted himself well in the Muskegon net, making a handful of point-blank saves to give his side an opportunity to rally.

 

The Steel (2-4-0, 4 points/7th in East) were idle Saturday after absorbing a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Cedar Rapids Friday in Chicagoland. West Michigan’s Zach Saar scored his team-leading fifth goal against the RoughRiders, but the Steel still lost their third in a row since beating the Jacks 15 days ago.

 

LUMBERJACK LOG

• Muskegon also suffered a slow start last fall in its inaugural USHL season, winning only one of its first five games. The 2010-11 Jacks then won four of their next six to hop back into the Eastern Conference race; they eventually finished sixth to earn a postseason berth.
• Last night’s shutout loss notwithstanding, the Lumberjacks still have their share of consistent offensive performers. Forwards Travis Belohrad and John Padulo and rookie defensemen Ryan Bullock and Kevin Schulze have earned at least a point in three of the first five games.
• Muskegon leads the league in penalty minutes thus far, with 168 through five games for an average of 32.6 per contest. However, most of those infractions have not put the Jacks at a disadvantage, as they’ve only been shorthanded 25 times, the fifth-fewest total in the 16-team league.
• The Jacks led Chicago 2-1 early in the second period in the teams’ first meeting this season before falling 6-3 Oct. 8. Lomberg lit the lamp on a penalty shot for his first USHL tally; Muskegon is 1-for-2 on penalty shots this season. 

 

FORGING STEEL

• Michael Fallon (team-best six points) and Zach Saar (five goals) pace the Chicago attack through the opening five games. Saar, a 6-foot-5 power forward, is a native of Plainwell, Mich., a suburb of nearby Kalamazoo.
• Swedish goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom has been given the keys to the crease, starting all six games while posting solid numbers – 2.66 GAA, .922 SV% and a shootout win.
• Chicago’s highlight so far could be its top-ranked penalty-killing unit, which has allowed only one goal in 24 chances against (95.8 percent). That lone marker was scored by Muskegon’s Michael Moran, who found the net in the second period Oct. 8.
• Saar’s pair of goals powered the Steel’s comeback from 2-1 down to win 6-3 in the teams’ only previous confrontation. Chicago netted five of the last six goals to earn its second win.

Countdown to Puck Drop (5): Jacks vs. Dubuque

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

vs. DUBUQUE FIGHTING SAINTS

L.C. WALKER ARENA, MUSKEGON, MICH.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011

 

GAME PREVIEW

It’s been nearly six months since the Lumberjacks last took the ice for a meaningful game at L.C. Walker Arena, but after an offseason of preparation and back-to-back weekends on the road, Muskegon’s favorite sons return to friendly surroundings to host the defending Clark Cup champion Dubuque Fighting Saints.

 

It will be a homecoming for the Lumberjacks (1-3-0, 2 points / 8^th in East), but without the luxury of a homecoming-style opponent. Despite that, Muskegon will surely enjoy the comforts of home after four straight contests on the road to start the season. The Jacks ensured that difficult stretch wouldn’t be unfruitful by holding off the Sioux Falls Stampede 6-5 last Saturday for their first win.

 

Unlike the Jacks, the Fighting Saints (4-2-0, 8 points / T-3^rd in East) were in action last night, downing Team USA in Ann Arbor 5-1. T.J. Moor had two goals and Tyler Lundey contributed three points (G, 2 A) to the cause, with No. 1 goalie Matt Morris stopping 24 of 25 shots. Dubuque has now won three in a row and two consecutive road matches in the early stages of its championship defense.

 

JACKS FACTS

• Six different Jacks have netted their first career USHL goals thus far, with forwards John Padulo and Dakota Klecha and defenseman Nick Seeler all connecting in the win at Sioux Falls. Ryan Lomberg, Max Shuart and Ryan Bullock broke the ice the previous weekend.
• Four of the Jacks’ 12 goals on the season have been delivered by their potent power play, which ranks fifth in the league at 21.1 percent. Indiana led the league with a similar conversion rate last season, when Muskegon finished 14th in that category.
• After allowing 23 goals in four games, Muskegon made a move Thursday to bolster its goaltending, trading a draft pick and a player to be named to Omaha for third-year netminder John Keeney. With impressive career numbers (2.16 GAA, .919 SV% in 45 USHL appearances), the Californian should help the Jacks become more stingy.
• Three Lumberjacks were listed in NHL Central Scouting’s new “Players to Watch Tracker.” Center Matt DeBlouw is labeled an ‘A’ player, meaning he is a candidate to be taken in the top two rounds of the NHL Draft next June. Included as ‘B’ skaters are winger Jordan Masters and blueliner Mark Yanis, setting them up as potential mid-round selections.
• Muskegon went 1-2-1 against the eventual champions last season, including a 4-3 shootout triumph Nov. 19 at L.C. Walker. Travis Belohrad scored two goals in the season series.

 

SAINTS COME MARCHING IN

• Following a regular season that saw them go 37-14-9 and win the Western Conference, the Fighting Saints lost only two postseason games on their way to claiming the Clark Cup. Dubuque returned to the USHL as an expansion team last fall; the original Saints franchise moved to Tulsa, Okla., in 2001.
• Latvian F Zemgus Girgensons and Quebec native D Mike Matheson are also part of the “Players to Watch Tracker,” both listed as ‘A’ level prospects. Girgensons (Univ. of Vermont) clicked for 21 goals and 49 points last season, his first in the league. Matheson is a 6-foot-2 newcomer who has already committed to Boston College.
• In addition to Girgensons (team-leading seven points so far) and Matheson (three points, plus-4 rating), Sweden’s Gerard Hanson has five goals to pace coach Jim Montgomery’s Saints. Goalie Morris has three wins, a .916 save percentage and a 1.81 goals-against average.
• Girgensons had three goals and three assists in four matchups with the Jacks last season, as Dubuque claimed seven of eight possible standings points. Morris allowed only one goal in his lone appearance vs. Muskegon.

Seeler goes one-on-one with Wild coach

As if Saturday's home opener wasn't enough to get Jacks defenseman Nick Seeler revved up, the USHL rookie got a visit from the Minnesota Wild Friday.

Wild Director of Player Development Brad Bombardir, a former NHL defenseman, put Seeler through a focused yet jovial one-on-one workout this morning at L.C. Walker Arena. 

Seeler was selected in the fifth round of last summer's NHL Entry Draft by the Wild, the same team he rooted for growing up in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Seeler scored his first goal in the USHL last Saturday in the Jacks' 6-5 win at Sioux Falls, but getting some attention from his future employer has to rank up there in the thrill category.

Check out exclusive video of the practice session at the Lumberjacks official Facebook page!

Three Jacks on NHL watch list

NHL Central Scouting releases its prospect ranking lists periodically throughout the year, understandably drawing attention from most corners of the hockey world. While individual teams and talent evaluators have their own opinions, these lists are nonetheless a helpful resource, especially for fans who want a general understanding of the players to track leading up to June’s NHL Draft.

 

This season, Central Scouting put out a “Players to Watch Tracker” to supplement its formal compilations. The USHL is one of four junior leagues, along with the three major Canadian circuits (OHL, QMJHL, WHL), to get the treatment as part of this new feature.

 

Happily for the Lumberjacks and their fans, there are three very familiar faces among the USHL’s “Players to Watch.”

 

Center Matt DeBlouw, winger Jordan Masters and defenseman Mark Yanis, all returners from last year’s Muskegon club, were listed among the best the USHL has to offer this season.

 

DeBlouw was given an “A” rating, meaning he is a considered candidate for selection in the top two rounds of the NHL Draft. The 6-foot-1 forward from Chesterfield, Mich., scored his first goal of the season last Friday in Fargo. He recovered from a ruptured spleen early last season to play strongly in the second half of the campaign and the Clark Cup Playoffs, during which he posted eight points in six games.

 

Masters, a Rochester, N.Y., native, skated in 55 games for the Jacks last season, including playoffs, and took part in Team USA’s winning effort at last year’s Five Nations Tournament. He was given a “B” rating, designating him as a potential mid-round selection next June.

 

Gross Pointe Woods’ own Yanis, a feisty 6-foot-3 blueliner with good offensive skills, was also rated as a “B” skater, putting him among the USHL’s top 16 at his position. Along with a goal and four assists, Yanis accumulated 136 penalty minutes in 2010-11.

 

All three have secured college commitments, with DeBlouw staying in state at Michigan State, Masters locked in with New Hampshire and Yanis signed on with Penn State’s fledgling Division I program.

 

Matt Gajtka is the Broadcaster/Director of Communications for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com!

Countdown to Puck Drop (2): Jacks at Chicago

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

@ CHICAGO STEEL

EDGE ICE ARENA, BENSENVILLE, ILLINOIS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2011 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

 

GAME PREVIEW

One night after opening their second USHL season in Cedar Rapids, the Muskegon Lumberjacks stay on the road – and within the East Division – for game No. 2 against the Chicago Steel. Last year, the Jacks ran up a 7-1-0 record versus the Steel, their best record against any opponent in their inaugural Tier I campaign.

 

After waiting two weeks between games, the Lumberjacks (0-1-0, 0 points / 8^th in East) didn’t get the start they were looking for against the RoughRiders, falling behind 3-0 midway through the contest. Nevertheless, Muskegon kept the pressure on the home side with goals from returners Max Shuart and Travis Belohrad and by controlling play for long stretches late.

 

The Steel (1-1-0, 2 points / T-5^th in East) also began 2011-12 away from home, grabbing a 3-2 shootout win in Ann Arbor, Mich., against the U.S. National Team last Saturday. However, Chicago couldn’t maintain that level of play Friday night in its home opener against Youngstown; the Steel went down 3-0 as Phantoms goalie Matt O’Connor posted a 22-save shutout.

 

LUMBERJACK LOG

• In the USHL, experience can be a difference maker, as the Jacks’ goal scorers Friday night attested to. Future Michigan Wolverine Shuart got his feet wet in the league last season, skating in 13 games (10 with Muskegon) before making the roster this summer. Belohrad merely added to his impressive Jacks resume: he now has 19 goals in 56 league games.

 

• Rochester, N.Y., native John Pedulo joined the Jacks just last week and he made an immediate impact last night. Pedulo, who scored 22 points for the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts last season, registered his first two USHL assists and found himself with considerable ice time on the Muskegon power play.

 

• Second-year Lumberjack goalie Paul Berrafato got the call from Head Coach Kevin Patrick in the always raucous Stable Friday night. Despite allowing a couple of early goals, the 6-foot, 175-pound netminder from the Buffalo area settled down nicely, stopping 18 of the last 20 shots to give Muskegon a chance at a comeback.

 

FORGING STEEL

• 6-foot-5 forward Zach Saar kicked off his second year with the Steel in convincing fashion, knocking in two goals in Chicago’s season-commencing win over Team USA last Friday. Hailing from Plainwell, Mich., Saar tallied four goals and six assists in his first go-around in the USHL, as he dressed in 32 of 60 games.

 

• Swedish goalie Mathias Dahlstrom has posted sparkling numbers through the first two games, but doesn’t have a regulation win yet to show for it. His 1.93 goals-against average and .930 save percentage rank him second among league ‘tenders with two starts, behind only Fargo’s Zane Gothberg.

 

• The Steel endured one of the worst seasons in USHL history last year, going 9-43-8 (including a 1-17-1 slide to finish) while scoring an all-time league low 103 goals. Head coach/GM Scott McConnell was promoted from assistant in late February on an interim basis and his position was solidified this summer. He is the grandson of legendary NCAA and NHL coach “Badger” Bob Johnson.

 

UPCOMING ACTION (HOME GAMES BOLDED)

Friday, October 14 @ Fargo at 8:35 p.m. (all times Eastern)

Saturday, October 15 @ Sioux Falls at 8:05 p.m.

Saturday, October 22 vs. DUBUQUE at 7:15 p.m. / Home Opener

Sunday, October 23 @ Chicago at 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 29 vs. CHICAGO at 7:15 p.m. / Halloween

Countdown to Puck Drop (1): Jacks at Cedar Rapids

Muskegon Lumberjacks

@ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Friday, October 7, 2011 – 8:05 p.m. Eastern

 

Game Preview

The Muskegon Lumberjacks will begin their second season in the USHL just the way they finished their first – with a showdown against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The Riders eliminated the Jacks in the second round of last spring’s Clark Cup Playoffs, so Muskegon will be seeking a measure of revenge to begin the 2011-12 campaign.

 

The Lumberjacks (0-0-0, 0 points / 6^th in East) sat out the first weekend of USHL play, the only team to be idle since the Fall Classic Sept. 22-24. Muskegon went 2-2-1 in the preseason, as it picked up wins against divisional rivals Indiana and Chicago and earned a point in a shootout loss to defending Clark Cup champion Dubuque.

 

The RoughRiders (0-0-1, 1 point / 5^th in East) earned five wins in seven preseason games, but fell 4-3 in overtime in their home opener last Saturday against Indiana. Cedar Rapids rallied with three goals in the final nine minutes to tie the game, but the Ice controlled the play in OT and earned the sudden-death win via Daniil Tarasov’s goal.

 

Lumberjack Log

·        The preseason was fruitful for Ryan Lomberg, the Jacks’ first-round pick in the 2011 USHL Entry Draft. The Ontario native, who went at No. 6 overall, totaled four points (1 G, 3 A) in five games to lead Muskegon. Lomberg put up an incredible 99 points last season with Richmond Hill Academy and has committed to attend the University of Maine.

 

·        First-year USHLer (and 2011 Minnesota Wild draft selection) Nick Seeler was a team-high plus-4 in the preseason, along with returning D-man Travis Walsh and second-year forward Travis Belohrad. Newcomer Alex Smith, a defenseman from Brownstown, Mich., paced the blueliners in exhibition play with three points, all assists.

 

·        Goaltending duties were split fairly evenly in the preseason, with Paul Berrafato and Blake Voth taking turns in the blue paint. Returner Berrafato saw the most action, posting a 1-1-1 record, a 1.99 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Voth (1.30 GAA, .938 SV%) also impressed in just over 90 minutes of time on the ice.

 

Riders On The Storm

·        Opening night at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena appeared to be a lost cause for the home side, but Riley Bourbonnais, Preston Hodge and Jacob Barber each scored in the third to complete the RoughRiders’ three-goal rally. Barber’s goal came with 37 seconds left and goaltender Matt McNeely off the ice for an extra attacker.

 

·        Third-year defenseman Nolan Zajac registered an assist last Saturday against Indiana. The future Unviersity of Denver Pioneer is the younger brother of the New Jersey Devils’ Travis and was the ninth-leading scorer among USHL rearguards last season (3 G, 27 A) despite playing just 45 of 60 games.

 

·        With a record of 42-12-6 last season, the RoughRiders won the second Anderson Cup in their 13-year history and rolled into the postseason as the East’s No. 1 seed. After a first-round bye, Cedar Rapids squeezed by Muskegon in four games in the East quarterfinals before Green Bay eliminated them in the semis. In 12 seasons leading the Riders, head coach Mark Carlson has accumulated 406 wins, placing him second among active USHL mentors.

 

Upcoming Lumberjacks Games (All Times Eastern)

Saturday, October 8 @ Chicago at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, October 14 @ Fargo at 8:35 p.m.

Saturday, October 22 vs. DUBUQUE at 7:15 p.m. / Home Opener

Sunday, October 23 @ Chicago at 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 29 vs. CHICAGO at 7:15 p.m. / Halloween   

 

Talkin’ Lumberjacks Hockey

Cinema Carousel presents JackSixty, a weekly hour-long talk show devoted to your Muskegon Lumberjacks every Tuesday night from 6-7 p.m. at Hennessy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant. Located at 885 Jefferson St. in the heart of Muskegon, Hennessy’s will play gracious host as Voice of the Lumberjacks Matt Gajtka talks hockey with head coach Kevin Patrick, various players and other featured guests on 93.5 FM WLCS!   

 

Follow The Jacks All Season Long

92.5 FM The Outlaw is the exclusive radio home of your Muskegon Lumberjacks! Listen over the air or check out the action streaming online at 92fmtheoutlaw.com for all 60 games this season, plus the Clark Cup Playoffs. The USHL is also partnering with FASTHockey to provide video coverage of all league games this season; go to ushl.fasthockey.com to sign up and watch!

 

Also, make sure to “Like” the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Facebook and follow “@MuskegonJacks” on Twitter to stay plugged into the Jacks 24 hours a day, seven days a week!