The Muskegon Lumberjacks have posted their share of big wins lately in their desperate fight to gain a USHL playoff spot.

Friday night’s 4-2 road victory over the second-place Youngstown Phantoms – a team that’s in a dogfight with Chicago for first place in the Eastern Conference – has to rank up there as one of the most impressive.

The Jacks broke open a 2-2 game and won with a pair of third-period goals from Michael Callow and Cody Croal. Croal had two goals in the contest and now has a total of 17 on the season.

Three of the four Muskegon goals came on power plays. The Jacks had a great night in that department, scoring on all three of their power play opportunities.

Lumberjacks forward Cody Croal, who scored twice on Friday.

Five of the six goals in the game were scored with a man advantage.

The victory improved the Lumberjacks’ record to 25-26-3, good for 53 points in the standings. They are now five points behind Cedar Rapids in the race for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play. The Jacks and Youngstown (33-17-4) will meet again in Ohio on Saturday night.

Cedar Rapids was scheduled to play last-place Madison on Friday, but the game was postponed due to weather.

The first period was scoreless between the Jacks and Phantoms, then the teams took turns scoring in the second.

Youngstown’s Shance Lachance scored at 5:28, Croal answered for Muskegon at 7:00, Youngstown’s Martin Miskiak found the net at 14:01, then the Lumberjacks’ Gavin McCarthy evened things up at 19:91.

Callow scored his 18th goal of the season at 1:24 of the third period, then Croad iced the win with an empty-netter at 19:17.

The Jacks were outshot badly again – pretty much an every-game thing – by a 38-24 margin, but still managed to win.

Muskegon goalie Raythan Robbins stopped 36 shots in yet another strong performance.