MUSKEGON – If the Muskegon Lumberjacks fail to make the USHL Eastern Conference playoffs – and it will take a lot to make it – it certainly won’t be for lack of effort.

The Jacks just keep battling back, regardless of what happened the game before.

Friday night offered a perfect example. Last Saturday the Lumberjacks were hammered 10-0 by Team USA in a road game, the kind of loss that could have gotten in their heads and messed with their confidence.

But instead of folding up, the Jacks rebounded with energy against the visiting Cedar Rapids Roughriders and emerged with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory in a pretty important game.

Muskegon rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the second period and tied the game., then scored the only two goals of the third period to secure the win.

The Jacks were badly outshot in the game (which has become the norm) 38-24, but like in several other recent wins, they refused to let the shot deficit stand in their way.

The Jacks were very sharp on the penalty kill, stopping Cedar Rapids on all five of its power play opportunities.

The Lumberjacks are now 23-25-3 on the season, good for 49 points in the Eastern Conference standings. They came into the game 11 points behind Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Green Bay in the fight for the final playoff spot. Only three of the four teams can make the postseason.

The victory pulled the Jacks within nine points of Cedar Rapids with 11 games remaining in the regular season. Green Bay and Dubuque were still playing at press time. Teams get two points for a win.

The Jacks and Roughriders will conclude their two-game weekend series with a rematch in Muskegon on Saturday night.

“Tonight was a good indication of who our team is this season,” said Lumberjack assistant coach C.J. Kusch. “We have a tremendous level of character within our team, and a huge commitment to playing without the puck and blocking shots on the penalty kill.=

“Early on this season we kind of struggled with special teams. We feel that we can keep it simpler on the penalty kill and (the player) have bought into it a little more.”

The first period was scoreless.

Cedar Rapids took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Drew Stewart at 3:38 of the second period. Muskegon answered with a tally from Ethan Whitcomb at 12:13.

The Roughriders pulled ahead 2-1 on a goal by Ryan Walsh at 13;50, the Jacks responded again with a goal by Jacob Terpstra at 18:37, and the score was t2-2 headed into the third.

Forward Michael Callow scored the game-winner for Muskegon at 11:04 of the final period. An initial shot was stopped, Cody Croal grabbed the rebound and popped it over to Callow, who found the net with a shot from the right of the Cedar Rapids net.

Justin Solovey put the cherry on the victory with an empty-net goal at the 18:44 mark.

Muskegon goalie Raythan Robbins stopped 36 of 38 shots to collect the win.