Muskegon, Mich. — Forward Drew Stewart's hat trick lifted the Muskegon Lumberjacks (12-2-0-0) over the Des Moines Buccaneers (6-4-2-3) in a 6-1 victory Friday night at Trinity Health Arena. Lumberjacks forward Melvin Novotny extended to a seven-game point streak with two secondary assists and the final goal on the night. Bucs forward Nate Delladonna tallied the only goal for Des Moines in the second period. Lumberjacks goalie Carl Axelsson stopped 23 of 24 shots in the victory. The two clubs look ahead to another puck drop tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 8, at 6:00 p.m. at Trinity Health Arena.
The Lumberjacks jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period with a goal a piece from forwards Viktor Norringer and Drew Stewart. Norringer's tally came at 10:34, shooting past a Bucs defender to bring Muskegon ahead 1-0. Stewart's goal came at 14:42 to double the Lumberjacks lead. Melvin Novotny extended to a seven-game point streak with the secondary assist on Muskegon's second goal of the contest.
An early second period power-play goal for Stewart saw the Lumberjacks ahead 3-0 at 1:04. Bucs forward Nate Delladonna put Des Moines on the board with a power-play goal at 14:42 to cut the deficit to 3-1, finding Axelsson's back door off a pass from Ryland Rooney. Delladonna's sixth goal of the season was also assisted by defenseman Keaton Orrey.
Stewart completed his hat trick just 49 seconds into the final frame, extending the Muskegon advantage to 4-1. Forwards Anthony Thomas-Maroon and Novotny notched the final two goals for the Lumberjacks, Thomas-Maroon at 4:39 and Novotny on the power play at 8:54, to show a final score of 6-1.
The Bucs return to Trinity Health Arena Saturday night for a rematch against the Lumberjacks at 6:00 p.m. EST. The Buccaneers' next home game is Nov. 14, and it is Veteran's Appreciation Night presented by AMP Electric, featuring a baseball cap giveaway and specialty jerseys. It is also Fireball Friday and 2-for-1 beer night.
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About the Buccaneers
Founded in 1980, the Des Moines Buccaneers are a proud member of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's premier junior hockey league. The Bucs have a history of success in the USHL, including 4 Clark Cup Championships, 4 Anderson Cup Championships, and 54 alumni drafted to the National Hockey League, including Stanley Cup Champions Kyle Okposo, Alex Chiasson, Trevor Lewis, Davis Drewiske, and Erik Cole. The organization is committed to developing young players on and off the ice, preparing them for a future in collegiate and professional careers. Known for their passionate fan base, the Bucs play their home games at The MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, a multi-sport complex in West Des Moines, Iowa.
To learn more, visit www.bucshockey.com or follow the Bucs on social media: @bucshockey on X and Instagram, @desmoinesbuccaneers on TikTok, and Des Moines Buccaneers on Facebook. For more information about ticket packages, including season and group outings, please contact (515) 278-2827.
