Lumberjacks Log: Week 5

November 2, 2011

Muskegon puts its home winning streak on the line when it welcomes Youngstown and Cedar Rapids to L.C. Walker this weekend.


by Matt Gajtka

MUSKEGON, Mich. – As October turns to November, the Muskegon Lumberjacks seem to be finding a groove, especially at home.
 
Luckily for them, they get two more games at L.C. Walker Arena Friday and Saturday to continue their positive flow and climb the Eastern Conference standings.
 
After dropping five of their first six, including their first home game, the Lumberjacks (3-5-0, 6 points) played their best hockey of the young season last weekend while earning impressive wins against East rival Chicago and best-in-the-West Waterloo.
 
Muskegon’s forward line of Matt DeBlouw, Dakota Klecha and Josh Henke combined for 10 points in those wins, including Klecha’s four goals and DeBlouw’s four assists. Although Klecha’s three straight two-goal games have grabbed the headlines, each of the trio has put together a three-game point streak, dating back to Oct. 23.
 
“They were together the previous weekend as well and created some chances,” said Lumberjacks Head Coach/GM Kevin Patrick. “You look for combinations that produce some magic and they have certainly been doing that.”
 
Second-year goaltender Paul Berrafato, who produced nine wins in 27 appearances last season, already has presided in three victories in four starts so far. He returned to the crease last weekend after two games in the backup role.
 
“I just did the same things I always do in practice,” said Berrafato, who stopped 49 of 52 shots between Saturday and Sunday. “I did my best to stay ready and the team really played well in front of me.”
 
The Jacks will have to continue to play well Friday night, as the surprising Youngstown Phantoms (6-2-0, 12 points) skate to Muskegon. The Phantoms are off to their best start in three seasons of USHL play and are averaging 4.13 goals per game, second best in the league.
 
The only team to score more than the Phantoms so far are the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (5-1-2, 12 points), who are the Jacks’ opponent Saturday. The Riders have lit the lamp 4.38 times per contest and are the only USHL team with just one regulation loss.
 
The puck drops between the Jacks and Youngstown at L.C. Walker Arena Friday at 7:15 p.m., with doors opening at 6 for $1 Beer/$1 Hot Dog Night presented by John Morrell. Call 231.724.JACK(5225) to purchase your tickets, or visit startickets.com or any local Meijer location.
 
Muskegon hosts Cedar Rapids Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on Youth Hockey Night, with kids 12 and under getting free admission if wearing their youth team jerseys. The Meijer Pregame Show engages 30 minutes prior to every game on the radio home of your Lumberjacks, 92.5 FM The Outlaw.
 
JACKS FACTS
  • Fifteen of 20 skaters who took the ice last weekend for the Jacks had at least one point. Jordan Masters, Tyler Heinonen and blueliner Mark Yanis all connected for their first goals of the season, while Ryan Bullock and Travis Belohrad both ended three-game scoring droughts.
  • Recent special teams play has been a paradox for the Jacks. They have killed 10 straight penalties and are perfect on the PK at home (12-for-12), but the Muskegon power play, while middle-of-the-pack overall, has connected only once in 15 tries at L.C. Walker.
  • Rookie defenseman Kevin Schulze was dealt to Omaha this week to complete the Oct. 20 trade that brought third-year USHL goaltender John Keeney to Muskegon.
  • The Jacks went 5-2-0 against Youngstown in 2010-11, with three wins in four chances in Muskegon. Charlie Taft (Colorado College) and Brendan Woods (Wisconsin) lit up the Phantoms for 16 combined points; Belohrad had five assists in the season series.
  • Muskegon and Cedar Rapids collided on Oct. 7 in the Jacks’ opening game of the regular season, with the Riders prevailing 5-2 at home. Max Shuart scored his first USHL goal and John Padulo assisted on both Muskegon tallies.
 
SCOUTING REPORT:
THE PHANTOM MENACE
  • Youngstown has three players among the USHL’s top 15 scorers: Austin Cangelosi (league-best 8 goals, 11 points), Mike Ambrosia (3 G, 10 P) and Ryan Belonger (3 G, 8 P). Also, Dylan Margonari was just named CCM Offensive Player of the Week after a four-goal weekend in the state of Nebraska.
  • Along with being offensively explosive, the Phantoms are among the league’s most aggressive teams, as their 22.4 penalty minutes per game rank them second to the Lumberjacks’ 27.8. Youngstown does have the advantage in five-minute majors, with seven to Muskegon’s six.
  • The duo of Matt O’Connor and Sean Romeo have identical save percentages (.902), but Ontario’s O’Connor has carried most of the goaltending load for first-year coach Anthony Noreen. O'Connor, who appeared in 29 games last year for Youngstown, has doubled up Romeo in games (6) and wins (4) and has the Phantoms’ only shutout.
 
RIDERS ON THE STORM
  • After losing at Youngstown in overtime Oct. 20, the RoughRiders have reeled off three straight wins. They have earned at least a point in every game but one, a 3-1 loss at Waterloo Oct. 15.
  • Gerald Mayhew has seven goals, one behind the league leaders, and Nick Saracino is tied for third among USHL assist-getters with eight. Cedar Rapids also has two skaters asserting themselves alongside their blueline brethren: Greg Amlong (2 goals, 7 points) and Ian Brady (1, 5) are top-10 scorers among defensemen.
  • Although they’ve had no trouble filling the net, the RoughRiders have struggled with their power play, converting only four times in 41 chances for a 9.8 percent rate. However, Cedar Rapids’ 12th-ranked man-advantage unit is shielded by the USHL’s third-best penalty kill, which allowed only three goals in October.
 
UPCOMING JACKS ACTION (HOME GAMES BOLDED)
Friday, November 11 @ YOUNGSTOWN at 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, November 12 @ INDIANA at 7:05 p.m.
Friday, November 18 vs. TRI-CITY at 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, November 19 vs. GREEN BAY at 7:15 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE JACKS ALL SEASON
92.5 FM The Outlaw is the exclusive radio home of your Muskegon Lumberjacks! Listen over the air or check out the action streaming online at 925fmtheoutlaw.com as Voice of the Jacks Matt Gajtka has the play-by-play. The USHL is also partnering with FASTHockey to provide video coverage of all league games this season; go to ushl.fasthockey.com to sign up and watch!
 
TALKIN’ LUMBERJACKS HOCKEY
JackSixty presented by Cinema Carousel is a weekly hour-long talk show devoted to your Muskegon Lumberjacks every Tuesday night from 6-7 p.m. at Hennessy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant. Located at the corner of Jefferson and Clay Streets in the heart of Muskegon, Hennessy’s plays host as Gajtka talks hockey with head coach Kevin Patrick, various players and other featured guests on 98.3 FM WLCS!
 
THE SOCIAL NETWORKS
Never go hungry for Jacks news: “Like” the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Facebook and follow “@MuskegonJacks” on Twitter to stay plugged into the Jacks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Also, find the Jacks’ exclusive YouTube channel at youtube.com/MuskegonJacks!
 
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud members of the United States Hockey League, the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league and the leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The Lumberjacks’ organization prides itself on developing not just premier hockey talent, but also exceptional young men outside the arena of sports. For more information, visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.


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