MUSKEGON – The last time the Muskegon Lumberjacks failed to make the playoffs, COVID-19 saved them from official elimination because the regular season was cut short by the sudden outbreak of the virus.

You have to dig back to 2015-16 to find the last time that the Jacks failed to make the Clark Cup playoffs after playing a full regular season.

But the team’s five-season streak of making the postseason officially ended on Friday night.

The Lumberjacks, who needed to win their last four games while hoping Cedar Rapids lost its last five, were eliminated from contention with a 6-4 loss to last place Madison at Trinity Health Arena.

Muskegon is now 26-30-3 on the season, good for 55 points and seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Cedar Rapids has now wrapped up sixth place and only the top six teams make the playoffs.

The Jacks still have three games remaining, including Saturday night in a rematch against Madison, and two home games next weekend against Chicago.

“Obviously there is a lot of disappointment in the locker room,” said Lumberjacks coach Parker Burgess. “Our goal every year as hockey players and coaches is to play in the playoffs and have a chance to compete for a championship.

“It doesn’t take away from some of the strides that we’ve made, and hopefully the guys who are returning next year will use it as motivation.”

The Capitols opened the scoring with a goal from Oliver Flynn at the 8:20 mark of the first period.

The Lumberjacks responded with two late first period goals to take a 2-1 lead at the first intermission.

Owen Keefe tied the game at the 19:28 mark, then Michael Callow scored 31 seconds later by flipping the puck down Madison’s goalie’s Mason Kucenski’s shoulder from behind the net.

The officials needed time to review the goal and determined the puck legally went into the net without a high stick.

Madison tied the game 2-2 at the 5:35 mark of the second period with a goal from Nathan Lewis.

It took Muskegon less than a minute to regain its lead, scoring 6:27 into the middle stanza on a goal by Matvei Gridin, who scored his first goal since an injury forced him out of the lineup weeks ago.

The Capitols responded with a goal from Finn Brink at the 16:19 mark to tie the contest 3-3 late in the second period.

Madison broke the tie at the 9:23 mark of the third period with Lewis’ second goal of the contest.

The Capitols added two empty net goals from Max Nagel with 2:42 remaining in regulation and Ethan Elias with 46 seconds remaining to take a 6-3 lead.

The Jacks closed out the scoring with 29 seconds left with a goal by Ethan Fredericks.

“Madison played hard tonight,” Burgess said. “Their game plan was to hang around as long as they could and we couldn’t hold a couple of one-goal leads.”

“In terms of our next three games, these guys are competitive, and we play every game to win and compete.”