Muskegon Shuts Out the Gulls

There have been only 18 shutouts in the IHL this season. The Muskegon Lumberjacks got their third in five games this week, blanking the Gulls, 3-0, Friday in front of 2,020 in the L.C. Walker Arena.

The Gulls lead the IHL in scoring with 310 goals and had not been shut out since Dec. 13, when they fell 2-0 to Kansas City.

This was the Gulls’ first game in six days, and the loss ended their three-game winning streak and dropped them to third in the IHL Western Division with eight games remaining, a 42-25-7 record and 91 points. Peoria, which beat Phoenix Friday, is in second with 93 points.

Lumberjack goalie Bruce Racine (11-10-3) was credited with his first shutout.

Sean Burke also played well in goal for the Gulls, who outshot Muskegon, 30-25, but he received little help in the first 8:55 as the Lumberjacks (38-24-12) built a 2-0 lead.

“Burke certainly played well enough for us to win,” Gull Coach Don Waddell said. “The first two goals were not his fault by any means. Both goals were mistakes by forwards who didn’t come back and pick up their guys.”

Jim Latos scored the first goal at 3:59, and Jock Callander scored at 8:55 off an assist from Brian Fogarty. Ken Priestly scored an empty-net goal with 42 seconds left.

“We didn’t start out too well, which is typical of our team,” Waddell said. “But once we fell behind 2-0, I felt we actually outplayed them. We had a lot of chances, but we just couldn’t bury it.”