MUSKEGON – Scoring a hat trick in a USHL game is a pretty special feat. It certainly doesn’t happen every day.

Even more rare is scoring a natural hat trick, but Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Phil Tresca can now say he did it.

Tresca scored three straight goals (with no other goals by either team in between, the definition of a natural hat trick) in the third period to lead the red-hot Lumberjacks to a 5-2 victory over Cedar Rapids on Saturday night at Mercy Health Arena.

“I was being smart without the puck,” said Tresca, who’s had a huge weekend so far, with five goals in two games. “I found some open ice in front of the net and in the slot and was able to put the puck in the net.”

“Phil plays a 200-foot honest hockey game,” added Lumberjacks Coach Mike Hamilton. “If you looked at every one of his goals, he is boxing out, battling in front of the net. He’s an honest hockey player, but his skill set is through the roof.”

The victory was the seventh in eight games for the Lumberjacks, and eighth in their last 10. The Jacks improved to 9-8-3, the first time they’ve been above the .500 mark this season.

Muskegon has now won the first two of the three-game weekend series against Cedar Rapids. The final game will be Sunday at 4 p.m. at Mercy Health Arena.

“It’s something that we talked about today,” Hamilton said. “We were the last place team in the league for the majority of the season. To be able to go on this streak and get above .500 is an accomplishment.”

The first period of the game was scoreless, then the visiting Roughriders got the first goal just under 90 seconds into the second period. But the momentum swung in the Lumberjacks favor later in the period when Muskegon’s Quinn Hutson, a talented forward who is not around for the rough stuff, dropped the gloves and fought with the Roughriders’ Joseph Fleming.

“From a coach standpoint, we looked at each other and shook our heads,” Hamilton said. “That’s not the player that we want to fight, but it sent a message across the bench.”

Hutson’s stand against the overly-physical Roughriders, who lead the league in penalty minutes, seemed to spark his team.

With 22 seconds left in the second period, Ben Strinden tied the game with a power play goal from right outside the goal crease.

Tresca untied the game with a goal 53 seconds into the third period, then added what became the eventual game winner at the 4:07 mark, both on Muskegon power plays.

Tresca added his third goal at the 8:28 mark, before Strinden wrapped up the scoring with his second goal less than a minute later.

The Jacks’ power play played a huge role in the game. After going 1-for-7 on Friday night, the Lumberjacks went 3-for-9 with a man advantage on Saturday.

“We just got more pucks to the net,” Hamilton said about the improved power play. “We had guys camped out in front of the net, and they were able to capitalize.”

Tresca tallied an assist to go along with his natural hat trick. Jack Williams recorded four assists. Hutson added to his eventful night with an assist, giving him six points in his last three games.

The two teams combined for a total of 156 penalty minutes, including 72 for the Roughriders alone in the second period. The second period also saw an old school melee with three fights happening at the same time.

Alexander Kuleshov got the victory in net for the Lumberjacks with 19 saves. The Lumberjacks outshot the Roughriders 43-21.

SCORING SUMMARY 

First Period 

No scoring

Second Period

Cedar Rapids- 1:19 Zaccharya Wisdom (Andy Moore, Adam Flammang)
Muskegon-19:38 Ben Strinden (8) (PP) (Phil Tresca, Jack Williams)

Third Period

Muskegon-:53 Phil Tresca (8) (PP) (Gavin McCarthy, Jack Williams)
Muskegon- 4:07 Phil Tresca (9) (PP) (Jack Williams Quin Hutson)
Muskegon- 8:28 Phil Tresca (10) (Jack Williams Tyler Hotson
Muskegon 8:57 Ben Strinden (9) (Unassisted)
Cedar Rapids 19:12 Kade Nielsen (1) (Travis Shoudy, Nate Hanley)