Lumberjacks knock down Steel

Muskegon scored a pair of goals 57 seconds apart in the second period, and Keith Petruzzelli stopped 27 of 28 shots in net as the Lumberjacks (27-14-3-1, 58 pts.) defeated the Chicago Steel (29-11-1-3, 62 pts.) 3-1 Sunday at Fox Valley Ice Arena. With the victory, Muskegon snapped Chicago's four-game winning streak and earned three points in the back-to-back games with Steel after Chicago won Saturday's overtime thriller.

Chicago forward Jack Badini opened the scoring and placed himself in a tie for fourth place in the USHL in goals, registering his 21st of the season. Badini fired a wrister from the left circle that beat Petruzzelli over the glove at 15:25. Both teams had two opportunities on the power play but neither could convert and shots were tied at five apiece after the period.

Muskegon tied the game on the power play when Keeghan Howdeshell found a rebound in front and sent it past Chicago goaltender Dayton Rasmussen at 4:02. Less than a minute later, the Lumberjacks took the lead as Garrett Van Wyhe beat Rasmussen on the glove side at 4:59 with the eventual game-winner. It was Van Wyhe's second goal in as many games. Soon after, Chicago was rewarded with a two man-advantage for 34 seconds, but Petruzzelli held his ground and Muskegon took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

Just 15 seconds into the third period the Lumberjacks extended their lead when Andrei Svechnikov found the puck at the top of the crease and sent a backhanded shot over the left shoulder of Rasmussen.

Petruzzelli denied 27 of 28 shots in the win while Rasmussen stopped 22 of 25 for the Steel. Badini's goal was his second in as many days against the Lumberjacks.