Muskegon, Mich. — Two quick goals in the middle frame for the Muskegon Lumberjacks (13-2-0-0) secured their victory over the Des Moines Buccaneers (6-5-2-3) Saturday night at Trinity Health Arena. Lumberjacks forward Chuck Blanchard tallied the first goal of the night for Muskegon and the late empty-net goal to seal the win. Bucs goalie Andrew Bely (0-1-0-1) stopped 25 of 27 shots on the night, outdueled by Lumberjacks goalie Carl Axelsson's (9-1-0-0) 28 saves. The Bucs look ahead to a double-header against the Waterloo Black Hawks next weekend, Nov. 14 and 15.
After a scoreless first period, Lumberjacks forward Melvin Novotny opened the scoring of the game with a 5-on-3 goal just 2:06 into the middle frame to give Muskegon the 1-0 lead. Chuck Blanchard extended the advantage to 2-0 at 3:51, capitalizing on a 2-on-1 opportunity for the Lumberjacks. Bucs forward Ryan Seelinger responded with a partial breakaway goal off a pass from forward Riley Zupfer to cut the Des Moines deficit to 2-1. Seelinger's eighth goal of the season came on the power play 5:13 into the second period.
A late third period empty-net goal for Blanchard showed a final score of 3-1 in favor of the Lumberjacks.
The Buccaneers' look forward to hosting the Waterloo Black Hawks for a home game on Nov. 14 at 7:05 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. It is Veteran's Appreciation Night presented by AMP Electric, featuring free tickets for veterans, a baseball cap giveaway and specialty jerseys. It is also Fireball Friday and 2-for-1 beer night. They then head to Young Arena to face the Black Hawks again Saturday, Nov. 15, at 6:35 p.m.
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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.
