General | 3/23/2026 4:56:54 PM

The Muskegon Lumberjacks defeated the NTDP U18 team 5-3 in an in-state battle on Monday in the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Muskegon forward Drew Stewart started off the scoring at 6:52 in the first period, then Lumberjacks captain Carter Sanderson followed with a goal of his own at 11:28. Viktor Norringer assisted on Sanderson's goal and Stewart's second tally of the night, which came in the final two minutes of the frame, to give the road team a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.

Rudolfs Berzkalns gave Muskegon a 4-0 lead at 4:19 into the second period, but the NTDP responded with back-to-back goals at 7:47 and 8:44 from Wyatt Cullen and Lukas Zajic to make it 4-2. Less than two minutes into the third period, Stewart completed his second hat trick of the season, giving Muskegon a 5-2 advantage. Michael Berchild scored for the NTDP in the waning mioments of regulation, but Muskegon's lead withstood the last push.

Three Stars

1st Star: Drew Stewart, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks
3 G, 6 Shots, +2

2nd Star: Viktor Norringer, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks
3 A, +2

3rd Star: Louis Jonerheim, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks
2 A, +2

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).