MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Lumberjacks are definitely a team with a lot of character.

They showed that by the way they played in two games last weekend, and for two periods on Wednesday against the powerful Team USA 18-Under squad.

The Jacks had everything going against them in those games, and nobody would have been surprised if they had lost all three.

Four of their top players – forwards Jake Richard and Ethan Whitcomb and defensemen Gavin McCarthy and Nathan McBrayer – have been absent while competing in the World Junior A Challenge tournament in Canada.

Meanwhile, last week the players learned that fifth-year head coach Mike Hamilton had parted ways with the franchise and was replaced by assistant coach Parker Burgess.

Yet the Jacks hit the ice with the same type of no-quit approach that they’ve displayed all season and performed very well.

Last Friday they came from behind for a 4-3 overtime victory over the Team USA 17-Under squad. On Saturday the Jacks trailed first-place Chicago by two goals with four minutes left the game, pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, and made the game very exciting at the end, scoring two late goals and giving up one empty-netter in a 5-4 loss.

The Lumberjacks fell to the elite Team USA 18-Under squad 7-2 on Wednesday, but played very well for two periods against their super-talented opponents before giving up five goals in the third.

The Jacks will play two games this weekend in Youngstown before dispersing for a long Christmas break. They will return to action on Friday, Dec. 30 on the road against the Team USA 17-Under squad, then will be home the next night for a New Year’s Eve rematch.

“We were just really honest with them,” Burgess said about talking to the players about the coaching change. “We made sure they knew this was something they by no means were responsible for, that’s it’s just the business side of the profession. We talked to them about ignoring as much of the outside noise as possible and just being ready to play. I think they did a tremendous job of focusing on that.

“I think situations like this can bring a group together. The leadership on the team was tremendous, and the guys just focused on playing hockey.”

The Lumberjacks also demonstrated a lot of depth over the past three games. With their top three point-producers missing (Richard, Whitcomb and McCarthy), other guys got more ice time and showed what they could do.

Forwards Niko Rexine (three goals) and Michael Callow (two goals) picked up a lot of the offensive slack. Forwards Cody Croal (who scored the game winner on overtime on Friday), Ethan Fredericks (just acquired in a trade last week), Justin Solovey, Matvei Gridin and William Hughes each scored one goal over the past three games.

The Jacks will only have to play with a shorthanded roster for two more games, this weekend in Youngstown. All the players will be back for the Dec. 30-31 games.

“This is an opportunity for certain players and individuals to play a more significant role, and they have responded really well,” Burgess said. “It’s a good experience for them, that’s for sure.”

Robbins injury not considered serious

New goalie Raythan Robbins, a player the Jacks were waiting to see all season, collected his first win in last Friday’s victory over the USA 17-Under squad, stopping 31 of 34 shots over three periods and 4 1/2 minutes of overtime.

He stood on his head in the overtime period, stopping two Team USA players on breakaway chances that could have ended the game.

Robbins, whom the Jacks drafted last spring to be their starting goalie, was busy all fall with his future college team at Nebraska-Omaha, due to injuries to more experienced goalies. He didn’t see any college game time but practiced with the team until finally reporting to the Lumberjacks earlier this month.

“It was nice for him to get his first win in the USHL,” Burgess said. “He hasn’t been playing a lot of hockey in terms of game time, and it took some time for him to knock some rust off, but he really stole the show in overtime.”

Robbins started Wednesday’s game against the Team USA 18-Unders in Plymouth, Michigan and again performed very well, stopping 9 of 10 shots. Unfortunately he sustained what the team is calling a lower-body injury and was replaced by Conor Callaghan for the second and third periods.

Burgess does not believe the injury is serious.

“He’s being re-evaluated later today,” the coach said. “I’m not sure if he’ll be back this weekend but we’re not concerned long-term. He probably could have pushed through the rest of the game, but that could have done more damage.”

To make room for Robbins on the roster, the Jacks recently released goalie Noah Rupprecht, who had been with the team all season and performed well when he got the chance to play.

“Noah is a tremendous young man,” Burgess said. “He’s 20-years-old, so keeping him here as a third goalie didn’t make sense for his development. It was tough letting him go, but he will get more of an opportunity somewhere else that we could provide here. He’s a good goalie.”

A bad moment at the end of the game

Wednesday’s game in Plymouth was marred by some rough stuff that occurred between the two teams in the final minutes.

Muskegon’s Luke Buss, Ethan Fredericks and Justin Solovey each received two-minute roughing penalties and game misconducts at the 17:57 mark of the third period. Team USA’s Kai Janviriya and Zach Schulz received identical penalties.

Burgess thinks his players were venting some frustration after giving up five goals in the third period, and he doesn’t expect any league suspensions to follow.

“We didn’t handle the adversity in a way that was productive,” the coach said. “We just kind of lost our cool. It wasn’t even fighting, just some pushing and shoving that the refs had to nip in the bud.”