The Muskegon Lumberjacks’ 2026-27 season opened with a rocky start on Wednesday.
The two-time defending Eastern Conference champions lost to the Des Moines Buccaneers 4-1 at the annual USHL Fall Classic in Chicago at USG Arena.
The Lumberjacks will look to bounce back on Thursday in their second and final fall classic game at 4:30 p.m. against the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Muskegon will host its first home game of the season at Trinity Health Arena on Friday, Oct. 25 against the Team USA Under-18 squad.
The Lumberjacks trailed 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 after the second, following goals by Des Moines’ Jakub Dubravik and Becker Wenkus.
Muskegon scored its first goal of the season 3:11 into the third period off the stick of Aiden Janz to cut the deficit to 2-1. Billy MacAusland and Strider Carhart had assists.
The Buccaneers responded with a shorthanded goal at the 15:28 mark from Joseph Argentina, then put the game away with a Mason Jenson goal late in the final frame.
Muskegon managed to outshoot the Buccaneers 33-26. Both teams failed to score on three power play opportunities.
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