MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Lumberjacks have definitely answered the lingering questions about their mental and physical toughness.
Of course that won’t guarantee success over the rest of the regular season or the playoffs, but it does suggest that the players have the backbone to remain in the race for a solid playoff spot and the team’s first Clark Cup.
The Jacks’ mental toughness was questioned in recent weeks when they followed a long hot streak with a painful 3-7 slump, and fans started wondering if and when they would emerge from the tailspin.
Those questions loomed even larger after the Jacks lost a pair of home games on March 11-12 to the Team USA 18-Under squad, both by ugly 8-4 scores. Those losses gave Muskegon a three-game losing streak, and a four-game home losing streak.
But the great version of the Lumberjacks, who dominated the league from mid-November through January, emerged again last weekend at home against the very tough Dubuque Fighting Saints.
[1]Dubuque came to town in first place in the Eastern Conference with a seven-game winning streak, and left in second place with a two-game losing streak.
The Jacks won Friday night’s game 7-4 by scoring five goals in the third period, including two by Jack Williams. They won Saturday’s rematch 4-3 when Owen Mehlenbacher scored the game-winner midway through the third period.
After the way things had been going in prior weeks, the Lumberjacks could have folded up against red-hot Dubuque, but instead rose to the challenge and put themselves back on course.
“There have been numerous times this year when the guys could have let the season slip away, but they chose to attack adversity,” said Lumberjacks Coach Mike Hamilton. “We had a great opportunity against Dubuque, we knew how focused and determined we would have to be, and we came out the other side playing damned good hockey.”
The Jacks have also demonstrated their physical toughness in recent weeks, which was an important message for any upcoming opponents who were hoping to push them around.
That toughness was questioned on March 11, when a Team USA player plowed into and injured Muskegon goalie Aleksandr Kuleshov, and none of his teammates retaliated.
But the Jacks showed their willingness to fight the next night, throwing down the gloves for a brawl with the 18-Unders, with three fights breaking out on the ice at the same time.
Then last Friday against Dubuque, Muskegon’s Parker Lindauer got into a feisty scrap with Dubuque’s Cole Helm early in the second period. That lively fight went on longer than usual before the linesmen were able to jump in and break it up.
“I don’t think we have anybody on the team who is a true fighter, but there are times when guys have to step up and defend their teammates,” Hamilton said. “I don’t know if Lindauer has ever been in a fight in his USHL career, but he went after somebody who took liberties with his teammate.”
Final two-game home weekend
The Lumberjacks now have 12 games left in the regular season, but only three are at home, including two this weekend against the Green Bay Gamblers. The Friday and Saturday night games will both start at 7:10 p.m.
After this weekend’s games, Jacks will spend three straight weekends in April on the road, then part of a fourth, before returning home to play Chicago on April 23 in the final game of the regular season.
The Lumberjacks would very much like to move up in the standings over the next few weeks, to avoid having to play a first-round playoff series. The two top teams in the conference get first-round byes while the third- through sixth-place teams have to compete to try to make it to the conference semifinals.
The Jacks are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, seven behind Dubuque and 10 behind Chicago. Teams get two points in the standings for a victory and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
[2]The Lumberjacks also have to keep an eye on the Youngstown Phantoms (55 points) and Madison Capitols (54), who have been winning their share of games lately and are challenging the Jacks for third place.
Green Bay could be a dangerous opponent this weekend, because the Gamblers are in a very tight battle for the sixth and final playoff spot in the conference. Green Bay and Cedar Rapids are currently tied for sixth with 45 points while Team USA has 43.
The Gamblers recently parted with several key players at the trade deadline to bulk up on draft picks, according to Hamilton, but that means the remaining players will be more relaxed this weekend and leave everything on the ice, he said.
In short, the Gamblers are a team with a playoff spot to gain with a few extra wins, and nothing to lose.
“They moved three of their top players at the trade deadline, probably because they made the decision that they didn’t have enough to win it all this year,” Hamilton said. “So now they are probably playing a little bit more of a loose style, and if you aren’t careful with them you could lose a hockey game.”
Guevin set to become Jacks’ all-time assist leader
Lumberjacks captain Jack Williams had a great game on Friday night, collecting two goals and two assists to help Muskegon sew up its first big win of the weekend over Dubuque.
Williams also drew attention by reaching the 100-point mark in his Lumberjacks career that night.
Lost in all the excitement was the fact that standout defenseman Jacob Guevin had three assists in the game, which tied him with former Lumberjack Danil Gushchin for the team’s all-time record of 77.
Guevin, the team’s playmaker, already has 39 assists this season, so there’s a very good chance he will get another one and break the record sometime this weekend.
“I could talk about Guevin all day long,” Hamilton said. “He doesn’t grab the headlines. He goes about his business in a quiet way, but he’s been one of the best defensemen to ever come through here, and that includes a long list of great defensemen, and he’s just as good off the ice.”
[3]Larson on a hot streak
Another big producer who hasn’t had a lot of headlines lately is forward Joey Larson, who has quietly put together a great season with 27 goals and 29 assists.
Larson has been particularly hot lately, with four goals and eight assists in the last six games. He had three assists in Friday’s win over Dubuque, and a goal and an assist on Saturday.
“Joey just continues to get better and better.” Hamilton said. “He’s been getting more minutes and taking advantage of those minutes.
“When you go back and look at video in September and October, he doesn’t look like the same player. He started off the season as a defensive liability, and since then he’s truly evolved as a complete hockey player. He’s embraced the challenge and has been very coachable, and it’s paying off.”
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