The Muskegon Lumberjacks had been on quite a roll before going on a long nine-day break.

The Lumberjacks shut down the Lincoln Stars 4-0 back on October 24, then cruised past Team USA 5-1 on Oct. 28, before taking a little over a week off from game action.

The Jacks didn’t let the rest slow them down, however. They increased their winning streak to three games on Friday night, holding on to defeat the Dubuque Fighting Saints 3-2 in Iowa.

The Lumberjacks, who will look to sweep the two-game series in the rematch on Saturday, are now 7-5-2 this season. They are currently in second place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference,  just four points in back of the first-place Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

Muskegon scored the lone first period goal at the 11:03 mark when Strider Carhart found the back of the net for his third of the season. That 1-0 lead remained in place until early in the third period.

Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Aiden Janz. Photo/Sondra Workman

The Fighting Saints tied the game 1-1 with a goal from Kane Johnson 4:47 into the final period.

The tie only lasted 10 seconds, however, becasue Aiden Janz gave Muskegon a 2-1 advantage at the 4:57 mark with his fourth goal of the season.

The Lumberjacks added a much-needed insurance goal from Maxim Simko – his fifth of the season – 7:37 into the third period to extend the lead to 3-1.

Dubuque responded with a late third period goal at the 17:55 mark from Cruz Martin to cut the deficit in half.

Muskegon managed to hang on to its lead in the final two minutes of the game.

The Fighting Saints outshot Muskegon 32-20. Jacks goaltender Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz earned the win in net, stopping 30 of 32 shots.