MUSKEGON, Michigan (April 5th) – It was a game seven atmosphere tonight at the L.C. Walker Arena in the final regular season game for the Muskegon Lumberjacks as they looked to secure a berth into the 2014 USHL Clark Cup Playoffs against the rival Green Bay Gamblers in a winner-take-all to decide the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  In a hard-fought contest that saw the Lumberjacks overcome an early three-goal deficit to tie up the game at 3-3 early in the third period, but the Gamblers found pay dirt when it mattered the most notching a power play goal at the midway point and eventually held off a late Muskegon surge to crawl away with a 4-3 victory to earn a spot into the postseason to play the Indiana Ice in the first round.

The first period saw the visiting Gamblers (30-24-6, 66 points) snag a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission as Matthew Weis scored his team leading 22nd goal of the season just 1:16 into the game as he one-timed a shot over Eric Schierhorn’s (20-17-1) right shoulder in the low slot that was set up by Evan Tironese and Ryan Lough that was followed up with a goal at the 10:36 mark by Ryan Siroky as he found a loose rebound in the goal crease and stuffed home his 13th marker of the year that was assisted by Kevin Irwin and Drew Best.

A clean opening frame saw the Gamblers take their two-goal lead into the first intermission while outshooting the Lumberjacks by a 14-9 margin.

Green Bay continued to press offensively making it a 3-0 game at the 8:15 mark as Sebastian Weberg found a loose puck in the low slot to Schierhorn’s left and roofed one top shelf for his 14th marker of the season that went as a shorthanded goal with Muskegon on their second power play of the evening that was aided by Weis.

Minutes later at the 12:36 mark, the Lumberjacks (30-25-5, 65 points) cracked the scoreboard for the first time on the night to cut the deficit to 3-1 as Robbie DeMontis won a faceoff to the left of Jared Rutledge (25-16-4) and fed a pass back to Cullen Hurley at the right point who wristed a shot just inside the right post and past Rutledge’s right pad for his 2nd goal of the season.

As the period was about to expire, the hosts continued to claw their way back into the game slicing the deficit to 3-2 with just under 36 seconds to go as Jack Rowe found a loose puck in the left faceoff circle and roped one past Rutledge’s blocker on the short side for his 20th of the season and 10th as a Lumberjack that was assisted by Matt Iacopelli.

The one goal game then pursued into the second intermission with Green Bay still hanging on to the shot battle by a 26-22 margin.

Just as the third period got underway at the 1:34 mark, the Lumberjacks got even on the scoreboard at 3-3 as Trevor Morbeck wristed his 16th goal of the season from the nearside wing over Rutledge’s left shoulder that went unassisted.

As the final frame trudged along, a penalty was called on Trevor Morbeck for hooking at the 9:50 mark, and the Gamblers would convert just 21 seconds later as Weis found a loose rebound to the left of Schierhorn and roofed his second of the night and 23rd goal of the year top shelf to give the visiting team a 4-3 lead that was helped by Dawson Cook and Nick Schmaltz.

As the game neared the end, the Lumberjacks kept trying to get equalizer in a last ditch effort to send the game into an extra five-minute session and save their season, but the rally would fall short as they outshot the Gamblers for the night by a 33-31 margin.

Jared Rutledge stopped 30 shots for Green Bay in the road victory, while Eric Schierhorn made 27 saves for Muskegon in the tough home defeat.  Matthew Weis led the Green Bay offensive attack with two goals plus one assist on the night, while Muskegon had five different players notch a point on the evening.  The Lumberjacks end the regular season series against the Gamblers with 1-4-1 record.

Season Ticket Packages for the 2014-15 regular season are now on sale as the Lumberjacks will be celebrating their fifth season in the United States Hockey League.  For more information on the numerous benefits available or how to purchase a season ticket for next year, fans can stop by the L.C. Walker Arena Box Office or call (231) 726-2400.

The proud home of all Muskegon Lumberjacks home games is the L.C. Walker Arena in downtown Muskegon located just minutes from the beautiful Lake Michigan Shoreline.  Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey, “Experience the Buzz!”

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 www.muskegonlumberjacks.com.