DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints scored three third-period goals on Saturday, but could not come back from a five-goal deficit in a 7-4 loss to the Muskegon Lumberjacks to fall behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Fighting Saints scored first for just the second time in six playoff games on Saturday, but fell behind quickly after in the first period. Josh Giuliani scored on the power play at 8:51 of the first, but just 1:15 later the Saints took their second of three first-period penalties. 

On the ensuing power play, Muskegon's Ivan Ryabkin scored the first of his two power-play goals in 67 seconds. The first goal was assisted by Tynan Lawrence and Finn McLaughlin before the Saints took another penalty 34 seconds later. Ryabkin scored again 33 seconds into the third power-play chance, assisted by McLaughlin and David Deputy.

To start the second, Dubuque had two prime scoring chances early with Gavin Cornforth and Cooper Dennis, but could not beat goaltender Stephen Peck. Shortly after, Xavier Veilleux added to the Muskegon lead. Less than two minutes later, Deputy scored the first of two second-period goals.

After Dubuque limited Muskegon's top line of Deputy, Ryabkin and Lawrence to a single point in Game 1, the group combined for five goals and nine points in Game 2 as Ryabkin sealed the game and a hat trick with an empty-netter. Ryabkin finished the night with four points.

The Saints pushed back in the third period to get the opportunity to pull the goaltender late. Dubuque switched from Liam Beerman to Kyle Ozgun to begin the third and tilted the ice for most of the third period. The Saints scored three times in the first 9:33 of the third to get within two with over 10 minutes left. Lucas Van Vliet scored his third of the playoffs with a snap from the circle 2:17 in. Then, the Saints scored twice in 1:15 with Jonathan Morello and James Mackey converting to cut a five-goal deficit to two. After Mackey's goal, the Jacks pulled Peck for Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev and he made all four saves the rest of the way.

Ozgun, who made six saves in relief, was pulled with about three minutes left, but Dubuque could not get back on the board. Beerman made 13 saves in the loss to the Jacks.

The teams will travel to Muskegon for Game 3 on Tuesday night as the Saints look to keep their season alive on the road.