The Muskegon Lumberjacks suffered a tough 4-3 loss to the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Friday in the first game of a challenging road weekend that includes three games in three cities in three nights.
The Lumberjacks led three different times in the game, but Dubuque’s Shawn O’Donnell scored early in the third period to give the Fighting Saints their first lead of the game, and it turned out to be the game-winner.
Muskegon, now 29-21-6, remains in third place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference, but fell two more points behind second-place Dubuque. The Fighting Saints now have 75 points in the standings while the Lumberjacks have 64.
Fourth-place Youngstown is just a point behind Muskegon with 63 points.
Muskegon got on the board first with a goal from Joey Larson at 8:55 of the first period, then Dubuque’s Stephen Halliday answered to tie the game at the 14:32 mark.
The Lumberjacks’ Ben Strinden scored just 40 seconds into the second period to give Muskegon another lead. The Fighting Saints responded again with a goal from William Hallén at the 1:56 mark.
Muskegon took its third lead of the game on a goal by Quinn Hutson at 14:39 of the second period, then the same pattern continued with Dubuque tying the game on a goal by Kenny Connors at 18:49.
O’Donnell scored for Dubuque at 1:40 of the third period, and the Lumberjacks were unable to answer.
Goalie Chase Clark took the tough loss for Muskegon, saving 26 of 30 shots.
The Lumberjacks with travel to Cedar Rapids to play the Roughriders on Saturday night before going to Green Bay to meet the Gamblers on Sunday.