The Muskegon Lumberjacks won a 12-round shootout against the Waterloo Black Hawks Wednesday, prevailing 4-3 during the season-opening USHL Fall Classic in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
The tie-breaker also finished 4-3 as the teams exchanged goals on their respective second, fifth, and ninth attempts. Ethan Drabicki snapped in the decisive tally in the 12th and Carl Axelsson stopped Ryan Whiterabbit's bit to further extend the contest. Drew Stewart, Niles Benson, and Carter Sanderson produced the other Muskegon conversions.
Phileas Lachat denied eight Muskegon shooters. Before that, he was credited with 27 saves in regulation and overtime. Viktor Eriksson, Dylan Nolan, and Rio Treharne were the Hawks who recorded shootout goals.
Waterloo opened the scoring at 15:24 of the first period. Drew Waterfield was at the extended goal line on right wing. His pass across the slot clicked with Ty Mason, and the veteran forward put the puck in off of Axelsson.
Just 46 seconds later, Muskegon tied it on a favorable bounce. Carter Sanderson rushed into the Waterloo zone and missed the net. However his shot ricochetted off the end wall, catching a piece of Lachat and trickling across the goal line.
After a scoreless second period, Atte Vikla notched the first Waterloo power play goal of the season 23 seconds into the third. A fast-passing sequence set up the Finnish defenseman who lifted in a successful bid from the high slot.
The longest-lived lead of the night was undone with Jack Christ's equalizer at 12:49. Christ stepped out of the left corner and to the top of the crease, where he pushed in a low chance.
Waterfield had the Hawks back in front at 14:03. A Muskegon defender could not wrestle him to the ice, and Waterfield powered to the net in the delayed penalty situation to shovel a chance past Axelsson.
Muskegon's last game-tying score came in unusual circumstances. A late Black Hawks power play was wiped out by an offsetting penalty, and the Lumberjacks pulled Axelsson to make it five-on-four. With 1:58 left, the rebound of Melvin Novotny's shot popped up, and Sanderson batted it home in the netmouth.
The Hawks return to action on Day Two of the USHL Fall Classic Thursday evening at 7 p.m. Central Time. Waterloo then returns to home ice for this fall's first game at Young Arena on Saturday, September 27th at 6:35 p.m. The season-opener is presented by Rydell Auto. Seats are currently on sale from the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680 or via
tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com.
Muskegon 1 0 2 0 - 4
Waterloo 1 0 2 0 - 3
1st Period-1, Waterloo, Mason 1 (Waterfield), 15:24. 2, Muskegon, Sanderson 1 (Benson, Klaers), 16:10. Penalties-Vikla Wat (tripping), 6:29.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Whiterabbit Wat (checking from behind), 13:29; Stewart Mus (roughing), 18:31; Laliberte Wat (roughing), 18:31.
3rd Period-3, Waterloo, Vikla 1 (Jette, Schultz), 0:23 (PP). 4, Muskegon, Christ 1 (Dexheimer, Blanchard), 12:49. 5, Waterloo, Waterfield 1 (Mason), 14:03. 6, Muskegon, Sanderson 2 (Novotny, Klaers), 18:02. Penalties-Klaers Mus (cross checking), 0:09; Stewart Mus (holding), 9:49; Dexheimer Mus (interference), 16:39; Schultz Wat (checking from behind, 10-minute misconduct), 17:12.
1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout - Muskegon 4 (Novotny NG, Stewart G, Berzkalns NG, Christ NG, Benson G, Zemaitis NG, Bergeron NG, Blanchard NG, Sanderson G, Hutson NG, Thomas-Maroon NG, Drabicki G), Waterloo 3 (Jette NG, Eriksson G, Emery NG, Vikla NG, Nolan G, Degraff NG, Schultz NG, Lefere NG, Treharne G, Carlson NG, Mason NG, Whiterabbit NG).
Shots on Goal-Muskegon 11-14-5-0-1-31. Waterloo 5-5-12-1-0-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Muskegon 0 / 3; Waterloo 1 / 3.
Goalies-Muskegon, Axelsson 1-0-0-0 (23 shots-20 saves). Waterloo, Lachat 0-0-0-1 (30 shots-27 saves).
