MUSKEGON – It’s amazing how much better a team can play when its leader is back and in the fight.
The Muskegon Lumberjacks were without their captain Rudolfs Berzkalns for the first three games of the new season, because he was in training camp with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
They lost two of three in his absence, including their home opener on Friday night against the Team USA Under-18 squad.
He returned to the Jacks on Saturday in a rematch, and while he didn’t make the scoresheet, head coach Colten St. Clair said his presence made a real difference in the Lumberjacks’ impressive 6-1 win at Trinity Health Arena.
Muskegon is 2-2 in the young season and will remain at home for a pair of games next weekend against the Madison Capitols.
[1]“There is a presence on the bench when he’s here and that’s why he is our leader,” the coach said about Berzkalns. “When he’s doing things right, that’s when everybody else is. We want him to learn how to be that driver, and he has taken every step, he has earned the right, and we are a different team when he is here.”
Berzkalns said he was honored to be named captain, and it’s something he is not taking lightly.
“It’s a great honor to get all the respect from the coaches, and it’s awesome,” Berzkalns said. “I try to lead by example because I am not the loudest guy, and I feel that everyone on this team can be a leader.”
Standout rookie Zaac Charbonneau continued to show his abilities for the Jacks, scoring a pair of goals early in the game and delivering a perfect pass that led to a power play goal.
“He was an offensive juggernaut out there,” St. Clair said about Charbonneau. “I challenged him this morning, and it’s amazing what he put in for the group tonight. It was fun to see.”
[2]Muskegon killed off a pair of penalties that were called 45 seconds and 6:59 into the opening period to keep the score 0-0 early on.
“It’s not ideal to take the first two penalties,” St. Clair said. “I do think it got us on the right track because we had to get our minds in the situation that we can’t let a goal in early.”
Muskegon goaltender Oscar Westman, a native of Sweden, earned his first USHL win, stopping 27 of 28 shots and nearly collecting a shutout in his home debut.
“It is really good to see Oscar (Westman) get his first win, especially coming from overseas,” St. Clair said. “It’s good to see him get that confidence, and he made some huge saves, especially while Team USA was in transition.”
Charbonneau opened the scoring with his second goal of the season 10:23 into the opening period. He took the puck down the left side boards, charged toward the net and ripped a backhand shot into the net to give the Jacks a 1-0 lead.
[3]Louis Jonerheim notched the lone assist on the tally.
The Lumberjacks added another goal at the 14:03 mark when Billy MacAusland tipped in the rebound off a shot from the top of the right circle. Aidan Janz and Will Distad assisted on the goal.
Team USA had a great opportunity to respond when it was awarded a penalty shot 1:59 into the second period, but Westman made the stop to keep the Jacks up by two goals.,
Charbonneau found himself alone in front of the Team USA net moments later, and made a great back-handed shot for his second goal of the contest to give Muskegon a 3-0 lead. Jonerheim and Lars Hutson were credited with assists.
“I looked back and there wasn’t really anyone around,” Charbonneau said about his second goal. “I just used my shot to make something happen, and I never shot a backhand like that ever in my life.”
[4]The Lumberjacks later extended the lead to 4-0 with a power play goal by Felix Farhammar, 7:35 into the second period.
Farhammar took a great pass from Charbonneau and ripped it into the net at the lower right face-off circle. Hutson earned his second assist of the night on the play, as well.
“Felix gave me that pass for the game-winning goal in overtime in Chicago,” Charbonneau said. “It was pretty much the same play and it felt awesome, and we kind of joked about it after the play.”
The Lumberjacks led 4-0 heading into the final period.
Nicholas Kosiba notched his second goal of the season at the 1:52 mark of the third period. Maxim Simko and MacAusland assisted.
[5]Jake Tavares scored the final goal for the Jacks 6:12 into the third period.
Team USA took advantage of a late Lumberjacks penalty, closing out the scoring 15:17 into the third period with a power play goal off the stick of Nolan Fitzhenry.
The Lumberjacks had a 46-29 shot advantage over Team USA, which started Muskegon native Eli Winters between the pipes.
“We played a really good team game,” St. Clair said. “I am really proud of our group for how we responded right away.”
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