Friday, March 27, 2015

Chicago Steel Week 27 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have two games against Eastern Conference foes this weekend. Friday, the Steel head to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on Team USA at 7 p.m. EST. Saturday, the Steel return to the Edge Ice Arena as they host the Madison Capitols at 7 p.m. CST.

The Steel (26-24-3) lost both of their home games last weekend, as they were unable to hold onto third-period leads against Sioux Falls and Youngstown. Sioux Falls scored four goals in the third period on Saturday to take down the Steel 7-5. The Steel held a 3-2 third-period lead on Sunday but were unable to hold off Youngstown as the Phantoms won their USHL record 17th straight game.  Freddy Olofsson scored his team-high 25th goal of the 2014-15 campaign. Defenseman Carson Vance had a career-high three-point game on Saturday and now has nine points in eight games with the Steel.

Team USA has compiled a record of 23-27-2 this season. Last weekend, the U-18 Juniors defeated the Lincoln Stars in back-to-back games. Last time these two teams faced off, the Steel held on for a 5-4 overtime victory. Forward Auston Matthews has totaled 44 points in 22 games with Team USA this season. Matthews and teammate Matthew Tkachuk are both currently riding 11-game point streaks.

Madison (21-21-11) earned one point last weekend, losing to both Cedar Rapids (in overtime) and Sioux City. This is the sixth and final time Madison and Chicago will face each another this season. Chicago is 4-1 against Madison this season, outscoring the Capitols 22-10 over their previous five matchups. Madison has a very balanced offensive attack, with Haralds Egle, Freddy Gerard and Mitch Hults all tied with a team-high 33 points this season. Goaltender Darren Smith has posted an impressive .913 save percentage this year.

Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Reminder that April 3 & 4 is Housing Family Appreciation Weekend! All suites for housing billets are $100. Please call the Steel Ticket Office to reserve your suite!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Player Appearance: John L. Sipley Elementary School

The Chicago Steel would like to thank the staff and students of Sipley Elementary for welcoming us into your school today in conjunction with our Hockey 101 and Score with Reading programs! Steel players Jake Bresser and Jake Jaremko had the opportunity to read to the Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students while John Schilling, John Ernsting and Matt Kiersted played hockey with the 4th, 5th and 6th graders. The students were very excited to meet the players and are looking forward to attending this Saturday's Steel game against the Madison Capitols!


     



For more information on Hockey 101 and Score with Reading, please contact the Steel at 
630-594-1159!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Scenes from the Steel Game


Photo by: MJB Images 

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

 WEEKEND MILESTONES
-With an assist on Saturday, Dennis Gilbert posted his 20th point of the season.
-Connor Murphy recorded two assists on Saturday to surpass 15 assists this year.
-John Schilling tallied one goal and one assist this weekend for 30 points this season. 
-Marcel Godbout tallied both his 10th goal and his 20th point of the season. 
-Ryan Blankemeier scored his 15th goal of the season on Saturday, while Freddy Olofsson scored his 25th goal of the season on Sunday.


Friday, March 20, 2015

Chicago Steel Week 26 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have two home games this weekend. On Saturday, the Steel welcome the Sioux Falls Stampede to the Edge Ice Arena. Sunday, the Steel host the Youngstown Phantoms. Puck drops at 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Steel (26-22-3) won two of their three games last weekend to remain in fifth place in the East. After losing to Muskegon on Friday, the Steel took down Team USA U-18 on Saturday and defeated Madison on Sunday. Marcel Godbout tallied one goal and two assists against Team USA and Carson Vance scored in overtime for the 5-4 win. The Steel saw five different players score goals in Sunday's 5-1 win against the Capitols and Trevor Gorsuch picked up his fourth win with the Steel. With assists on Saturday and Sunday, Freddy Olofsson now has 50 points this season. He trails Mason Bergh by three points for the Steel scoring lead.

Sioux Falls (27-19-5) won two of their three road games last weekend. A shootout win on Friday against Omaha was followed by a win against Lincoln. Sunday, the Stampede were shut out by the Black Hawks. Sioux Falls defeated Chicago 4-1 in their February meeting. This season, Sioux Falls is led on offense by Cooper Marody (18g, 32a) and Kieffer Bellows (28g, 14a). The Stampede have struggled on the power play this season, converting on just 14% of their opportunities. However they rank in the top three on the penalty kill this season, killing off more than 85% of their penalties.

The Youngstown Phantoms (33-13-5) moved into first place in the Eastern Conference last weekend. The Phantoms are currently riding a 14 game win streak having not lost since January 31. Forward Kyle Connor currently leads the USHL in points with 27 goals and 38 assists for 65 points this year. Forwards Maxim Letunov (23g, 34a) and Josh Melnick (12g, 43a) also rank in the top five in scoring in the USHL. Chicago is 2-2 against the Phantoms this season.

Tickets for the weekend games can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Reminder that April 3 & 4 is Housing Family Appreciation Weekend! All suites for housing billets are $100. Please call the Steel Ticket Office to reserve your suite!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Scenes from the Steel Game










Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images


WEEKEND MILESTONES

-Marcel Godbout recorded his 40th career point on Friday and his 20th career assist on Saturday.
-Peter Tischke tallied his 25th career USHL assist on Sunday.
-With his goal on Sunday, Mason Bergh now has 30 career USHL goals. 
-Freddy Olofsson tallied his 50th point of the season on Sunday. 
-Jake Jaremko and Matthew Kiersted recorded their first points as members of the Steel with assists on Sunday. 



Friday, March 13, 2015

Chicago Steel Week 25 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have three consecutive home games at the Edge Ice Arena this weekend. Friday evening, the Steel host the Muskegon Lumberjacks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the Steel welcome Team USA U-18 to the Edge, with play set to begin at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Chicago will host the Madison Capitols at 3:30 p.m.

The Steel (24-21-3) picked up three big wins last weekend to move into fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Steel defeated Omaha 2-1 in overtime on Friday and Dubuque 4-3 on Saturday. On the road in Dubuque on Sunday, the Steel scored two third-period goals to defeat the Fighting Saints 2-1. Recent acquisition Carson Vance earned CCM Defenseman of the Week honors after his four-point weekend, including assists on all three of Chicago’s game-winning goals. Goaltender Trevor Gorsuch also made an immediate impact with the Steel, allowing just two goals in two starts.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks (28-17-4) picked up three of four points last weekend. The Jacks are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, nine points ahead of the Chicago Steel. Chicago is 3-2 against Muskegon this season, defeating the Lumberjacks the last three times the teams have faced each other. Freddy Olofsson has amassed nine points in three games against Muskegon this season. In the last meeting, Olofsson tallied two goals and two assists in a 5-3 Steel win. Muskegon goaltender Eric Schierhorn is among the top USHL goaltenders, with 20 wins between the pipes and a .926 save percentage. 

Team USA (20-24-0) will return to the Edge for the first time since defeating the Steel 6-2 in January. In that matchup, forwards Tage Thompson (3g) Auston Matthews (2g, 1a) and Jack Roslovic (3a) each recorded three points. The U-18 team picked up three wins last weekend against Omaha, Waterloo and Sioux Falls. Forward Auston Matthews leads the offensive attack with 35 points in 18 games. Goaltender Luke Opilka is 9-1 this season with a goals-against-average of 2.86.

The Madison Capitols (20-18-10) are right behind the Steel in the East with 50 points. The Capitols picked up their first win against the Steel three weeks ago, defeating the Steel 5-2 at the Edge Ice Arena. This will be the fifth time these two teams have met this season with the road team winning the previous four. Chicago has a plus-eight goal differential against the Capitols this season. Madison will travel to Des Moines on Friday and Cedar Rapids on Saturday prior to their meeting with Chicago on Sunday afternoon.

Tickets for all three games this weekend can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

All Access: Trevor Gorsuch

Photo by: USHL
Last week, the Chicago Steel acquired goaltender Trevor Gorsuch in a trade with the Waterloo Black Hawks. In his first weekend with the Steel, Gorsuch allowed just two goals as he guided the Steel to two victories. His 21-save performance against Omaha last Friday was followed up with a USHL career-high 41 saves in Sunday’s 2-1 win against Dubuque. Prior to joining the Black Hawks this season, the St. Charles, Missouri native played in the North American Hockey League for three seasons where he was a standout goaltender for the Michigan Warriors. Gorsuch made 13 starts for Waterloo this season, including one shutout before making the move to Chicago. The Steel netminder is excited for his future in Chicago and looks forward to continued success with his new team. 


Q: You allowed just two goals last weekend on your way to two wins in net for the Steel. Can you talk about the weekend as a whole and how you were able to make an immediate impact?

A: Yeah it was a great weekend for our team. Me personally, it was just a chance to get back in net and feel comfortable. I had a good weekend, but not only is it my success, it’s the team’s success. The team played really well defensively and it was my job to make the saves if the defense had a breakdown. And they bailed me out a couple of times on some rebound chances. Overall though, it was cool to be a part of such a great weekend, especially since it was my first weekend with the team.

Q: You hadn’t played in close to two months. Was it difficult to get back into it last week or were you ready to go?

A: I’ve been ready to go since the last time I played. I try to handle every practice and every warm-up as a game, and get myself ready just in case anything happens. It is a different mindset when you haven’t played in a while to get back in there. I’ve been faced with this before where you don’t play for a while and then you have to get in there. You just have to remember to breathe, take it shot by shot and not try to get the win before the puck drops.

Q: What was your immediate reaction when you heard you had been traded to the Chicago Steel?

A: I was a bit shell-shocked at first. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I had heard that a couple guys had been traded but I didn’t expect it to happen to me. But at the same time, I was looking forward to a fresh start. Being my final junior year, I was excited for a new adventure and I am going to make the best of it.

Q: You were one of three guys the Steel acquired last week. All three of you made an immediate impact and contributed in three big wins. Have you had a chance to talk to Carson [Vance] or J.D. [Dudek] about the transition to Chicago?

A: It was definitely nice to have a couple other new faces on the team. It would have been a little awkward if I was the only new guy. The three of us haven’t really sat down and talked about it. We are all “professionals” here, we understand that we are here to win and that we are here to make this team better. I think all three of us can do that. Carson had a great weekend with four assists and J.D. had the game-winning goal last Saturday. I think we have all stepped up to the plate and shown the guys that we are here to help and we’re not just going to pack it in for next year.

Q: You grew up in Missouri. When did you start playing hockey and what is the youth hockey scene like in St. Louis?

A: I started skating when I was about three years old and started playing when I was four. The youth hockey around St Louis has always been very underrated, up until recent years. Now, it is starting to get more notice because there have been some really good hockey players from St Louis. There is only one AAA hockey program, so making that team is a lot harder whereas Detroit or Chicago has five or six AAA teams. It is definitely more of a challenge to make the team but in that sense, I think it made my competitive drive even stronger to push me to be the best.

Q: Did you play any other positions growing up or did you always play goaltender?

A: When I was younger and first started playing, I played everything. Up until I was seven years old, I played mostly defenseman and forward, but then I made the decision that I wanted to play goaltender. I started going from there and I have loved every minute of it and have never looked back.

Q: Did you have to make any adjustments transitioning from the NAHL to the USHL?

A: I wouldn’t say there was much of an adjustment. As a goalie, my job is just to stop the puck. The only difference is the speed. Here, the game is played at a higher tempo but for the most part, players still shoot and pass the same. Maybe stuff is a little crisper and a little more accurate here in the USHL, but at the end of the day it is still my job to stop the puck whether it comes a little harder or softer.

Q: Three big home games this weekend against Muskegon, Team USA U-18 and Madison. What are your thoughts going into the weekend?

A: They are definitely going to be huge games for us. Friday night against Muskegon is a must-win. We played really good hockey last weekend, and I feel like if we take that into this weekend, especially on Friday, then we can come out with a ‘W’. That is going to be a four-point swing either way with Muskegon ahead of us in the standings. Then USA-18 on Saturday is going to be a big challenge. But I feel like if we play our game and don’t try to match what they do, and play with just enough body and grit then we can wear them down, get some goals and have a chance to win. And Madison on Sunday, every game against a team like them can really go either way. So we just need to continue to play our game and not get off our systems. Hopefully, we will come out on top.


Monday, March 9, 2015

Scenes from the Steel Game

Rusty with Chicago Steel fans
Postgame Autographs with Osburn, Joyaux and Olofsson

Freddy Olofsson

Joyaux and Olofsson



WEEKEND MILESTONES 

- Freddy Olofsson tallied his 30th career USHL goal on Saturday. 
- John Ernsting recorded his 20th assist of the season and the 70th point of his USHL career.
- Ryan Blankemeier and Connor Murphy both surpassed 25 points this season. 
- Lassi Yrjola picked up his 10th win of the season on Saturday.
- Brendon Kearney scored his 15th career goal with Sunday's game-winner.
- Trevor Gorsuch made a career high 41 saves in Sunday's win.

Friday, March 6, 2015

CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month: Freddy Olofsson


The Chicago Steel would like to congratulate Freddy Olofsson on being named the CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month.

In the month of February, Olofsson led the Steel in scoring with nine points (5g, 4a) and posted a plus-two on-ice rating. The 2014 NHL Draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks also earned USHL Forward of the Week Honors in the final week of February. Olofsson has compiled 46 points in 42 games this season, leading the Steel with 23 goals. 

CJ Wilson Mazda is a proud sponsor of the Chicago Steel. With three dealerships across Chicagoland, CJ Wilson Mazda is one of the nation’s top Mazda dealer groups with one of the nation’s largest inventories. CJ Wilson isn’t your typical car guy, and CJ Wilson Mazda is not your typical car dealership. For more information on CJ Wilson Mazda, please visit http://zoomzoomnation.com/

Chicago Steel Week 24 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have a full slate of games this weekend. Friday and Saturday, the Steel host the Omaha Lancers and the Dubuque Fighting Saints at the Edge Ice Arena. Sunday, the Steel travel to Dubuque, Iowa for a rematch with the Fighting Saints. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday and 3:05 p.m. on Sunday.

The Steel (21-21-3) acquired three players at this week’s trade deadline. Forward J.D. Dudek (Dubuque), defenseman Carson Vance (Youngstown) and goaltender Trevor Gorsuch (Waterloo) all join the Steel for the final stretch of the season. Last weekend, Chicago dropped its road game in Bloomington, 3-2. Freddy Olofsson and Tyler Sifferlen scored the two Steel goals. Olofsson looks to continue his scoring streak, as he has tallied goals in the last four games and has registered a point in five-straight games. Olofsson leads the Steel with 23 goals this season, ranking among the USHL leaders in goals scored.

The Omaha Lancers (28-14-5) saw their six-game win streak snapped on Thursday by Team USA, as they were defeated 7-2. The Lancers struggled through the first month of the season but were able to turn things around and currently find themselves in third place in the Western Conference. This season, the Lancers have been led on offense by Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (14g, 36a) and Shane Gersich (25g, 20a). In the previous meeting between the Lancers and the Steel, Chicago picked up the road win 4-3 behind Connor Murphy’s game-winning goal in the final minutes of regulation.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints (27-14-4) are 5-5 over their last ten games but still sit in the third spot in the East with 58 points this season. Dubuque and Chicago have split their previous meetings this year, with the Steel picking up a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory in January. Freddy Olofsson tallied two third-period goals and Ryan Blankemeier sealed the come-from-behind victory with the game-winning OT goal. The Saints have allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference this season behind excellent play from goaltender Jacob Nehama. 

Tickets for our Friday and Saturday home games can be purchased by phone at 630-594-1161 or online at tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Chicago Steel Announce Partnership with CJ Wilson Mazda

The Chicago Steel are proud to announce their new partnership with CJ Wilson Mazda. With locations in Orland Park, Countryside and Lake Villa, CJ Wilson Mazda is Illinois’ #1 dealer group and one of the nation’s top Mazda dealers.

In addition to owning several Mazda dealerships across the nation, Major League pitcher CJ Wilson has developed a program to support emerging professional athletes in their pursuit to become positive role models in the community. Through the generosity provided by CJ Wilson Mazda, the Chicago Steel will continue to afford the resources for our players to develop into effective leaders, both on and off the ice.

For more information on CJ Wilson Mazda please visit zoomzoomnation.com.




Wednesday, March 4, 2015

All Access: Ryan Blankemeier

Photo by: USHL
In his first season in the United States Hockey League, Ryan Blankemeier has proven to be a huge asset for the Chicago Steel. After suiting up for the Chicago Young Americans, the Oak Park native was selected in the first round of the 2014 Phase II draft by the Steel. Blankemeier burst onto the scene this season, and ranks among the team leaders with 13 goals and a plus-five on-ice rating. Following his USHL career, Blankemeier will continue playing hockey at Dartmouth College, a school with not only a historic hockey program but also outstanding academics. We had a chance to chat with the Steel forward and get his perspective on his hockey career and his bright future, both on and off the ice.

Q: You have been a huge contributor offensively in your first season with the Steel. Can you talk about your play this season and how you’ve been able to come in and be so effective right away?

A: Yeah, at the beginning of the year it was tough to learn a new game. The game is faster and you have to make plays a lot quicker but you are also playing with guys that are a lot better. I found that once I was able to adjust to the pace, guys would find you. Scoring is harder because it’s a faster pace but it’s also easier to make plays with better guys, so once I found that groove everything was easier.

Q: What was the adjustment like jumping from the Chicago Young Americans to the USHL? 

Photo by: MJB Images
A: It’s just a lot of details that you have to pay attention to. In U-18 hockey, you can get away with a lot of things that you can’t here, like going easy on the back check, not finishing hits, not getting pucks out or making slow plays. Here, every shift you have to bear down because you are playing against a lot better guys. So the focus was a big adjustment. Also, the length of the season is a lot different and something I had to adjust to. You have to be durable and ready to practice every day.

Q: How has playing for the Steel, and in the USHL, affected your development as a player?

A: It’s been huge! Being on the ice every day and playing with a lot better players forces you to get better and get stronger or you’ll get left behind. I’m able to come in and be around great hockey players who are working hard and it has forced me to become a better player.

Q: What do you enjoy most about playing for the Steel?

A: I’ve really enjoyed being with the guys on road trips. Also playing in front of crowds has been exciting. The USHL really does a good job with the whole junior experience. It’s been a fun season.

Q: How long have you been playing hockey for and when did you decide that it was a large part of your future?

A: I started playing organized hockey when I was five years old. I played other sports, mainly baseball, until my first year of high school. After my freshman year though I decided I was going to drop the other sports and really focus on hockey.

Photo by: MJB Images
Q: You’re committed to play at Dartmouth College at the conclusion of your USHL career. What were some factors that led to your commitment to the Big Green?

A:  Yeah, it was an easy decision for me. I have family members that went to Dartmouth and I have known about the school for a while. I love the campus, I love the location, I love the hockey and obviously the academics were a plus too. So just that whole combination and my family history there made it an easy choice for me.

Q: You have also been selected as a National Merit Finalist. Can you talk about the process and what the recognition means to you?

A: Yeah, my brother was actually a finalist too so he set the bar high. My parents have always pushed the education along with hockey. I made sure to focus on school my first three years of high school which put me in a great spot. Now that I am a senior, I’ve had a little less school too worry about so I’ve been able to balance school and hockey. For the National Merit, I took the PSAT and based on my score I was selected as a semifinalist. I had to write a paper and answer some questions and I recently received the news that I was a finalist. It’s an honor and it reinforces what my family has been all about and it shows that I can focus on both school and hockey.

Q: This weekend, you guys face Omaha and Dubuque at home before heading to Dubuque on Sunday. In January, you scored a game-winning overtime goal against the Fighting Saints. What are your thoughts on the three games this weekend?

A: Both Omaha and Dubuque are high-skill teams. We only had one game last weekend so we should be fresh and able to use our speed against both opponents. It’s three big games with a possible six points. Being well rested, we’re hoping to come into the weekend strong, play our game and come away with points.

Photo by: MJB Images