Muskegon Lumberjacks fall in both home games to start Clark Cup Final
By Nick Barnowski –
MUSKEGON – After dropping Games 1 and 2 at home to start the Clark Cup final, the Muskegon Lumberjacks face an uphill battle in pursuit of their first USHL title.
Sioux Falls scored three times in the third period in Game 1 to claim a 3-2 victory Saturday, while five-second period goals helped the Stampede cruise to a 6-1 win in Game 2 at the L.C. Walker Arena last night.
“We beat ourselves yesterday and we beat ourselves tonight,” Muskegon head coach Todd Krygier said. “We’ve got to get on the same page and be disciplined.”
Muskegon, which is making its first appearance in the Clark Cup final this season, was in it right to the end in Game 1.
Sioux Falls held a 2-1 lead with 9:08 remaining in the third until Muskegon’s Mark Petaccio tied it up at two under a minute later. The Stampede found a way to score one more, though, as J.M. Piotrowski hit the back of the net with 5:52 remaining.
The story was different in a chippy Game 2 that featured a combined 23 penalties for 105 minutes.
The Lumberjacks were already in unfamiliar territory as they found themselves trailing in a series for the first time this postseason.
They were outshot 36-30 and conceded five goals in the second period to five different Stampede players. Krygier said that penalties disrupted his team’s rhythm, as Muskegon took 15 for a total of 73 minutes, including eight for 45 minutes in the second frame.
“You give up five in the second and it’s over,” Krygier said. “Once these guys figure out that they have to execute and do the things that we’ve practiced, I think we’re going to have success.”
Sioux Falls scored two goals 10 seconds apart in the first 1:19 of the second period to take the lead. Its next two goals came on nearly identical plays, as the puck was shot wide and bounced out to the side of the net for rebound goals.
Brighton native Cooper Marody tallied Sioux Falls’ third goal, while Dearborn’s Dakota Joshua picked up the assist on the fourth. Muskegon goalie Eric Schierhorn was replaced by Michael Latorella following the fourth goal.
“We’ve got to play better team defense,” Krygier said. “Our guys have got to get focused on playing defensively first in the playoffs.
Muskegon got on the scoreboard with 6:35 left in the game thanks to Woodhaven’s Matheson Iacopelli. The goal was the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick’s fifth of the playoffs, and came after Krygier pulled Latorella for an extra attacker.
Sioux Falls added an empty netter at 13:52 of the third.
The Lumberjacks will travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for Games 3-4 to try and tie the series up. Game 3 is set for Friday, with puck drop at 8:05 p.m, and Game 4 is Sunday.
If necessary, Game 5 would be back in Muskegon, and played on Wednesday, May 20.
“We’re still alive,” Krygier said. “We’ve got to go into Sioux Falls and just worry about winning our first shift in the first period and go from there.”