Men's Ice Hockey | 5/11/2026 8:17:33 PM

Muskegon Lumberjacks 6, Madison Capitols 2 | VIDEO RECAP 
(Muskegon wins series 3–2)

The Muskegon Lumberjacks are headed back to the Clark Cup Final for the second consecutive year after a dominant 6–2 comeback victory over the Madison Capitols in Monday's winner-take-all Game 5. Despite a slow start, the Lumberjacks erupted for six goals to clinch the Eastern Conference title.

Madison came out firing in the first period and jumped out to a 2–0 lead. Harper Frey opened the scoring on a wrister from the high slot at 5:49, followed by a power-play tally from Caleb Pittsley at 8:36. Muskegon made it a one-goal game late in the frame when Anthony Thomas-Maroon chipped the puck into the net at 15:35.

The second period belonged entirely to the Lumberjacks. Rudolfs Berzkalns tied the game on the power play just 2:22 into the frame. Louis Jonerheim gave Muskegon its first lead of the night on a redirect in front at 7:38, and Berzkalns struck again late in the period with his second power-play goal of the night to make it 4–2.

Muskegon added two more power-play goals in the third period to put the game out of reach. Niles Benson scored on a wrister from the slot at 6:39, and Drew Stewart capped off the scoring at 9:28, marking the Lumberjacks' fourth goal of the night on the man advantage.

Carl Axelsson was steady in net for the Jacks, turning aside 21 of 23 shots.

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 nine 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).