MUSKEGON – Muskegon Lumberjacks rookie forward Tyler Hotson had the game of his life on Sunday – but he had to hold his breath for two very long minutes to make sure his heroics held up.

The moral of the story for the Lumberjacks? As well as they are playing in the USHL Clark Cup playoffs, it’s just too soon to celebrate too much.

Hotson had his biggest moment in the third period on Sunday, after the Lumberjacks had squandered a four-goal lead and Dubuque roared back to tie the score at 5-5 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Hotson turned the tide back in the Jacks’ favor with a goal at 12:34 of the third period – but made the mistake of pointing at the Dubuque bench during his celebration.

That drew an unsportsmanlike conduct call for Hutson, putting him in the penalty box and forcing the Jacks to play a man short for two very dangerous minutes.

Lumberjacks forward Tyler Hotson

The Fighting Saints had already scored three times in the third period, and the fear was that they would cash in on the power play and tie the game up once again.

Luckily the Jacks killed off the penalty without further damage, then Quinn Hutson and Ben Strinden scored open-net goals down the stretch to ice an 8-5 victory for Muskegon and clinch the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

But the two minutes of uncertainly during the last Dubuque power play were hard for Hotson, who had scored two big goals in the game and deserved to be the hero, not the goat.

“It was a tense two minutes,” Hotson told MuskegonSports.com. “I just sat there in the penalty box shaking, but luckily we killed it off and won the game.”

The Lumberjacks are now waiting to learn whether they will be playing the Chicago Steel or Madison Capitols in the Eastern Conference finals. Those teams are tied 1-1 in their semifinal series, with the third and final game slated for Tuesday night in Chicago.

If Madison wins, Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals will be Friday and Saturday in Muskegon. If Chicago wins, the first two games will be in the Windy City, with the series returning to Muskegon next Monday for Game 3, and on Tuesday for Game 4 if necessary.

Hotson, who scored the game-winning goal on Sunday, had 7 goals and 20 assists in the regular season. Photo/Tonya Pardon

Regardless of who they play in the conference finals, the Jacks are sure to be careful about how they conduct themselves after scoring goals.

Hotson’s penalty was actually a recurring nightmare for the Jacks. Defenseman Jacob Guevin was also given two minutes for excessive celebration late in the first period, right after a goal by Strinden gave Muskegon a 3-0 lead.

He was called for pointing at a Dubuque player who was in the penalty box.

Dubuque’s resulting power play spilled over into the second period, and the Fighting Saints took advantage by scoring. At the time it didn’t seem like a huge deal, because Muskegon still led 3-1, but the way the game unfolded in the third period showed how dangerous the penalties were.

If the Fighting Saints had scored after Hotson’s penalty, who knows how the game would have turned out?

Lumberjacks coach Mike Hamilton said the Fighting Saints had several close scoring chances after Hotson’s penalty, and it was a huge relief when they failed to cash in on the power play.

“They had already scored three power play goals, so it was definitely scary,” the coach said. “But we found a way to get through it. It was a huge kill.”

Hotson battles a Cedar Rapids player for the puck during the first-round playoff series. Photo/Tonya Pardon

Hamilton thought the penalties were a little strange, particularly in such a big game when players’ emotions were running high.

“I’ve coached a lot of games in my life, and I’ve never experienced one where two unsportsmanlike calls were made,” he said. “These are young guys who were showing lots of excitement. I have a hard time with the fact that they we were punished for having too much fun.

“We need to learn from things, what we can do and how far we can push it, but I don’t understand how anyone can make that call in a one-goal game with eight minutes left. I’m baffled.”

Overall it was a great night for the 19-year-old Hotson, who started the season playing hockey at St. Andrews College prep school near Toronto, then joined the Jacks just on time for the first games in late September.

He called his family in Stratford, Ontario after his big game on Sunday, knowing they would be happy for him.

“Obviously the playoffs are a bigger stage, goals mean a lot more, and it was exciting,” Hotson said. “I talked to my dad and mom and grandma and grandpa. They were all excited. They were all watching at my house.”

Hotson (17) gained more ice time during the season as he improved his defensive skills, according to Lumberjacks Coach Mike Hamilton. Photo/Tonya Pardon

Like most first-year players, Hotson spent most of the season working on his game and earning more ice time.

At the USHL level, training and skill development are the main focus, particularly for talented teens like Hotson who are getting their first taste of elite competition.

Hotson said he may start college hockey in the fall, or may return to Muskegon – but either way he’s a much better player than he was when he arrived.

“As the season went on I just kept getting better every game and working hard in practice,” said Hotson, who had seven goals and 20 assists in the regular season. “I think I’ve come a long way. They do a great job of developing players here.”

Hotson is not the only rookie Lumberjack to show great progress over the course of the season.  Players like forwards Jake Richard and Ethan Whitcomb, defensemen Gavin McCarthy, Jacob Napier and Nathan McBrayer, and goalie Cameron Korpi also gained a ton of experience, and should form the backbone for next season’s Lumberjacks roster.

“There are a lot of first-year guys who improved a lot,” Hamilton said. “When you look at where those guys were and what they became, to me that’s a testament to our staff and our organization.”