MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Lumberjacks did get a win of sorts on Friday night against the first-place Chicago Steel.

No, it wasn’t the game. They lost 7-2 in their next-to-last contest of the 2022-23 season.

But they did win a pretty cool fight.

Muskegon Cody Croal only needed about four punches to floor Chicago’s Jake Livanavage in an exciting little scrap midway through the third period.

Other than that, most of the success belonged to Chicago, which wrapped up the USHL’s Eastern Conference championship by beating the Jacks.

Grayden Slipec led Chicago with two goals and an assist.

The Lumberjacks fell to 26-32-3 on the season while Chicago improved to 39-17-5.  The two teams will meet again in Muskegon on Saturday night to wrap up the regular season before Chicago begins its playoff run and the Jacks start planning for next season.

Lumberjacks coach Parker Burgess

“I thought for about 40 minutes we actually played pretty hard,” said Lumberjacks coach Parker Burgess. “We fought our way back in and then we had a couple of unfortunate bounces that didn’t go our way.

“We played some younger guys and some affiliates and we didn’t have much during the third period and they buried those chances.

“We are looking tomorrow for the guys that are returning to set their mark on the coaching staff for next year and I am sure they will do that.”

The Lumberjacks showed some fight before the game got away from them.

Chicago led 2-0 after one period following goals by Charlie Major at 1:27 and Nick Moldenhauer at 19:57.

Lumberjacks forward Cody Croal, who was the clear winner in a pretty good fight against a Chicago player.

The Steel took a 3-0 lead Slipec scored his first goal early in the second period.

Muskegon answered with two quick goals from Niko Rexine at 8:55 of the second period and Easton Young at 10:29, making it a 3-2 game.

Chicago sealed up the win by scoring the last four goals, from Jack Harvey and Michael Hage late in the second period and Jordan Brisson and Slipec in the third.

Muskegon goalie Raythan Robbins had yet another busy night, facing 38 shot and stopping 31. Muskegon managed 30 shots on goal.

“Robby (Robbins) has been a warrior for us and it’s not an easy situation to be the only goalie for a long period of time,” Burgess said. “We are going to give him a much-deserved day off tomorrow and let him start his summer off a little early.”