Muskegon, Mich. – Isaac Kohls’ birthday celebration was short-lived in the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ 5-1 loss to the Indiana Ice at the Pepsi Coliseum on Wednesday.

 

David Johnstone staked the Ice to a 1-0 lead on a pinpoint backhand shot through traffic 4:19 into the first period. About seven minutes after Brian Ferlin doubled the Ice lead early in the second, Kohls celebrated his 20th birthday with his 17th goal of the season. Ryan Misiak put it on a tee for the Forest Lake, Minn., native, and he drilled the puck through traffic and past Casey DeSmith 7:27 into the second period. Casey Thrush picked up the secondary assist.

 

Misiak, a Shelby Township, Mich., native, leads the Jacks (22-24-8 – 52 points, fifth place in the United States Hockey League Eastern Conference) with both 57 points and 42 assists.

 

The score remained 2-1 through the period before the Ice pulled away with three goals in the third. Indiana (34-16-4 – 72 points, third in the East) has now won six straight.

 

Paul Berrafato stopped 33 of 38 shots for the Jacks, while DeSmith went 21 for 22 and lowered his goals-against average to 1.20 over his last five starts.

 

The Jacks remain five points behind Team USA for fourth place in the East.