Rookie forward Jake Richard is starting to look like a go-to guy for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, at least when the game in on the line.

Last Sunday in Green Bay Richard scored the winning goal in the third period, and on Friday in Plymouth, Michigan he repeated the feat, scoring the winner late in the final period to give the Jacks an exciting 5-4 victory over the Team USA 17-Under squad.

Richard also scored in the first period for Muskegon, which improved to 31-22-6 and remained four points ahead of Youngstown in the race for fourth place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference.

The Lumberjacks now have three games remaining in the regular season. They will play in Plymouth against the 17s again on Saturday, then will travel to Chicago on April 22 before coming home the next night for the final game before the playoffs.

Richard and David Hymovitch found the net in the first period and the Jacks led 2-1 at the first break.

Quinn Hutson scored 1:26 into the second period, putting Muskegon up 3-1.

Team USA answered with second-period goals from Danny Nelson and Charlie Cerrato to tie the game, before Jacks captain Jack Williams scored 18:23 into the second, giving Muskegon a 4-3 lead.

Team USA’s Oliver Moore tied the game again with a goal at 11:58 of the third period, then Richard settled the issue with his game-winner at 16:51.

The Lumberjacks outshot their hosts 33-17.

Goalie Aleksandr Kuleshov got the win for Muskegon, stopping 13 of 17 shots.