SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Muskegon Lumberjacks gave it every last ounce they had in the tank during a do-or-die Game 3 of the Clark Cup Final on the road against the Sioux Falls Stampede at the Denny Sanford Premier Center as the visitors tried to extend its 2014-15 season for at least a few more days. After giving up a three-goal second period to the Stampede, the Lumberjacks rallied in the third to cut the margin down to one, but could not squeeze one last bounce to notch the game-tying goal and send the 
game into overtime in falling by a 4-2 decision to end what was a historic fifth USHL campaign for Muskegon that included the organization’s first-ever Eastern Conference Championship.
Like the first two games of the series, the first period of Game 3 saw a scoreless battle with the Lumberjacks nearly doubling up the Stampede in the shots on goal battle by a 15-8 margin. Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play.
Seconds into the second period, the Stampede notched the contest’s first goal just 18 seconds in to snag an early 1-0 lead from Dakota Joshua (4) that was aided by Mikey Eyssimont and Troy Loggins.
The one shot margin carried over into the beginning moments of the game’s second half of play when Sioux Falls doubled their advantage to 2-0 at the 10:07 mark with a shorthanded tally from Loggins (10) batting a loose rebound to the left of Eric Schierhorn (6-6) into the back of the net that was helped by Clint Lewis.
The home team continued to add on to the score sheet grabbing a 3-0 lead with 3:41 remaining in the middle stanza courtesy of a breakaway shorthanded tally from Kieffer Bellows (9) firing one through Schierhorn’s five-hole that went unassisted.
Sioux Falls carried its three-goal advantage into the second intermission break with the Lumberjacks still outshooting the Stampede by a 25-22 spread. Muskegon was 0-for-5 on the power play, while Sioux Falls was 0-for-3.
During the final frame of regulation, the Lumberjacks chipped away at the deficit that began at the 1:59 mark with their first goal of the night from Mason Jobst (1) burying a backdoor feed by Matheson Iacopelli into the open net past Stefanos Lekkas (9-3) that was additionally set up by Dante Palecco to make it a 3-1 contest.
Prior to the halfway point of the third hitting, Muskegon cut the spread to 3-2 Sioux Falls at the 9:29 mark courtesy of a five-on-three power play goal by Matej Paulovic (3) off a loose rebound to Lekkas’ right that was assisted by Jobst and Tommy Marchin.
The Lumberjacks continued to press offensively attempting to even the game at 3-3 that included pulling Schierhorn for the extra attacker with 1:29 to go, but came up empty in the end as Logan O’Connor (6) laced an empty net goal with just under 14 seconds left to seal the deal on home ice and clinch the Clark Cup Championship. Muskegon outshot Sioux Falls for the game, 35-31.
Stefanos Lekkas earned the home win for the Stampede stopping 33 of 35 shots faced, while Eric Schierhorn took the tough road defeat for the Lumberjacks with a 28-save night. Troy Loggins led the Stampede’s offensive attack with a goal plus an assist, while Mason Jobst led the Lumberjacks’ offense with a goal and an assist of his own. Muskegon finished 1-for-7 on the power play, and Sioux Falls ended the game 0-for-4. The Lumberjacks finish the 2015 Clark Cup Playoffs with a 6-6 record that consisted of a 3-3 mark at home and on the road.
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