MUSKEGON – So apparently the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ recent hot streak was no fluke, and they can indeed play with the big boys in the USHL’s Eastern Conference.

The Jacks returned home this weekend after a long road trip, when they posted a 4-0 record and pulled themselves out of the basement of the USHL’s Eastern Conference.

Then they laid an egg on Friday night, falling 7-3 to Madison in an ugly return to Mercy Health Arena. That left everyone wondering if the winning was just a short-term thing, and the team was back to its losing ways.

The Lumberjacks addressed those concerns in impressive fashion on Saturday, beating Madison 5-4 after taking a 4-0 lead, and salvaging a split in the weekend series.

Forwards Joey Larson and Ben Strinden led the way with two goals apiece. Quinn Hutson had one goal and three assists and Jacob Guevin added two assists.

The win against the Capitols was the Jacks’ first in four tries this season. Madison has been very good, coming into the game with an 11-5-2 record and second place in the Eastern Conference.

Muskegon, now 7-8-3, and will return to the ice next Friday against Cedar Rapids.

“We kept the game in front of us and that was the big difference,” said Lumberjacks coach Mike Hamilton. “I thought for two and a half periods we kept it simple. We stopped giving up odd-man rushes. They didn’t have one breakaway today.”

Hamilton said he tried not to chastise the players too much on Friday after the poor performance.

“I was disappointed, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all,” the coach said. “This morning we had a good video session and touched on some things and they responded in a great way.”

Larson’s performance in the victory was a continuation of a recent pattern. The Jacks have won every time he’s scored at least one goal in the last six games, and he’s been scoring quite a bit.

Larson has eight goals in those six games, including two in each game last weekend when Muskegon swept Dubuque.

“I shoot a lot of pucks and our line is working well,” Larson said. “We are finding bounces and we seem to be clicking great. We knew what we needed to do tonight, and we got it done.”

It’s no coincidence that Strinden and Hutson, the other two scorers in the game, play on the same line with Larson. They’ve been performing well together lately, and the goals have started to pile up.

“Joey and that whole line during the last few weeks have been really special,” Hamilton said. “He has all the tools, he can skate, he has a big body and he can score goals. He has great skills, and he continues to improve on his defensive side of the play.”

The Jacks outshot the Capitols both nights this weekend, but the margin was bigger on Saturday, and more shots went in.

Muskegon had a 33-29 edge on Friday and a 37-30 advantage on Saturday.

On Friday they were frustrated by Madison goalie Simon Latkoczy, who had a very hot hand, but they got the best of him early and often on Saturday, jumping out to a 4-0 lead midway through the second period.

Muskegon led 2-0 after one period and 4-2 after two. The Jacks extended their lead to 5-2 early in the third period before the Capitols made the game close with two late goals, including one with about a minute and a half left, after they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.

Lumberjacks goalie Alexander Kuleshov got the win, stopping 26 of 30 shots.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period
Muskegon – 8:13, Joey Larson (Quinn Hutson, Jacob Guevin)
Muskegon – 11:43, Ben Strinden (PP) (Jacob Guevin, Quinn Hutson)

Second period
Muskegon – 3:09, Joey Larson (Tyler Hotson, Jake Braccini)
Muskegon – 9:48, Quinn Hutson (Nathan McBrayer, Tyler Dunbar)
Madison – 16:04, Nathan Lewis (Matthew McGroarty, Daniel Sambuco)
Madison – 17:29, Connor Deturris (Reid Pavich, Patrick Czarnecki)

Third period
Muskegon – 6:11, Ben Strinden (David Hymovitch, Quinn Hutson
Madison – 7:53, Luke Mittelstadt (Nick DeSantis, Ben Dexheimer)
Madison – 18:36, Casey Severo (Nick DeSantis, Ben Dexheimer)