The Muskegon Lumberjacks hung tough for two periods on Wednesday before an ugly third period resulted in a 7-2 loss to the Team USA 18-Under squad in Plymouth, Michigan.

The Jacks trailed 1-0 after one period and 2-1 after two, then Team USA took control with five goals in the third.

The Lumberjacks are now 12-10-1 on the season and have a two-game losing streak. Team USA is now 12-5-3.

The victory put Team USA in second place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference with 27 points. Muskegon fell to third place with 25 points, one point ahead of Green Bay and Dubuque.

Lumberjacks rookie Matvei Gridin, who scored in Wednesday’s loss.

The Jacks will complete their road trip with Friday and Saturday night games in Youngstown against the Phantoms.

Team USA’s Ryan Fine scored the only goal of the first period at the 8:05 mark.

Muskegon’s William Hughes scored his second goal of the season at 1:08 of the second period, tying the score 1-1. Gabe Perrault scored with less than a minute left in the second period, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead heading into the third.

Oliver Moore, Will Vote, Perreault, Vote and Beckett Henderson scored for Team USA in the third period. Muskegon’s lone goal came from Matvei Gridin– his second of the season – at the 9:18 mark.

There was apparently some rough stuff between the two teams late in the game, when a total of five players were thrown out of the game.

Muskegon’s Luke Buss, Ethan Fredericks and Justin Solovey each received two-minute roughing penalties and game misconducts at the 17:57 mark. Team USA’s Kai Janviriya and Zach Schulz received identical penalties.

Matthew Morden, David Hymovitch and George Fegaras each had assists for the Lumberjacks.

Goalie Raythan Robins worked the first period for Muskegon while Conor Callaghan played the second and third periods and gave up six of the seven goals.