Let's Talk To The Vets

Happy Thursday Everyone!! Well it's official...all the boys are back!! They had their first practice on ice today and they looked great. After practice we grabbed three of our vets and interviewed them about the upcoming year. Check out what Chris Dodero, Biagio Lerario, and Patrick Polino had to say!!

Chris Dodero

How does it feel to be back at the rink and practicing with the new team?

It feel great now that I’m a vet.

How did you prepare yourself this summer for the upcoming season?

Trained hard everyday. Worked on getting faster, stronger, and my skills on the ice.

How did you think your first practice went overall?

It went well. The team came together and grinded it out.

 

What advice would you give the new players?

Don’t be nervous and play your hardest.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Having a great season with the new team and accomplishing our goals.

What are you personal goals for the season?

Making a run at the Clark Cup and do the best I can every night to help the team be victorious.

Biagio Lerario 

How does it feel to be back at the rink and practicing with the new team?

It feels great to get back on the ice with a lot of new faces.

How did you prepare yourself this summer for the upcoming season?

I prepared myself by spending a lot of time training and practicing on my game in areas that I needed improvement.

How did you think your first practice went overall?

Practice went well. It was a great first skate with the boys.

What advice would you give the new players?

Come to the rink every day and work hard all the time. Also, be positive at all times.

What are you looking forward to this year?

I’m looking forward to everything about this year.

What are you personal goals for the season?

  

I plan on putting up more points and be a leader on and off the ice.

Patrick Polino 

How does it feel to be back at the rink and practicing with the new team?

It feels great. It is nice to get the season stared and help get the new guys going.

How did you prepare yourself this summer for the upcoming season?

I worked out and skated a lot. Also I went to Minnesota and trained for two weeks.

How did you think your first practice went overall?

It was good, I think we have a pretty good team this year.

 

What advice would you give the new players?

Be confident in yourself and don’t piss of the front office.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Playing games

What are you personal goals for the season?

Get a college commitment.

Don't Miss...

You Know It's Almost Hockey Season When...

Happy Thursday Steel Fans! Today at the rink their is a feeling, in the air, that says hockey season is almost here. How is there that feeling? Well let me tell you. As of 3pm today we have 11 players, from our roster, return to the rink as the get ready and wait for the season to begin.

They were able to grab some ice time, and begin practicing with each other before the rest of the guys arrive on August 29th! If you are looking at your calendars that is only a week away!!

On the ice, the boys practiced drills, as well as, caught up with some old buddies from last season. The guys were able to start learning each other's playing styles and work on adapting during the drills. From watching them practice today, there is no doubt that this year's team if full of guys who have the heart, passion, and determination to achieve their ultimate goals.

We look forward to having all of the boys back here on August 29th. Until then check out some of the pictures taken from today's practice!

Steel Fans, opening day is a month away!! Don't wait until the last minute to buy your tickets!! Tickets can be ordered by calling (630) 594-1161 or online at http://tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

See you all soon!!   

Rusty's Ready...Are You??

Happy Monday Steel Fans!! We hope you had a great weekend! Hockey season is quickly approaching and everyone around the rink is getting themselves prepared...even Rusty!!

Rusty is back at the rink after his summer vacation and working hard to get in shape. Check out how Rusty is spending his morning working out.

After some stretches, Rusty decided that we would do some 

jogging back and forth in the weight room.

To continue his cardio routine, he decided he better do some jumping jacks.

Once he got his heart-rate up, he figured that he would work out the legs by doing some squats.

Following his squats, it was time to work those arms out by doing some push presses.

Not only did he do push presses for his arm work out, but he also did some push-ups, 

which also worked out his abs.

Since Rusty was in ab mode, he figured he better end with some sit ups.

There you have it fans...Rusty's workout!! If you want to follow Rusty's workout he does 3 sets of 19 reps for each exercise. He's getting excited to see all of you at the rink!! Have a great day Steel Fans!! 

Hockey 101

Happy Thursday Steel Fans!! We hope that you are having a great week and enjoying the beautiful weather outside. As some of you know, the Steel have a program called Hockey 101. For this program, the Steel send out players to a school or day-care to teach the kids hockey, as well as, promote a healthy lifestyle.

Today two of our players, Connor Yau and John Schilling, had an appearance at a local Kinder-Care place where they taught hockey to Kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders.

Here is an inside look as to what the kids did today!

First, Connor and John introduced who they were, what sport they play, and how long they have played.

Left to Right: Connor Yao and John Schilling

From there, the guys showed the kids how to stick handle. First the kids had to just bring the puck down and back. Once they got a handle on that,  they then had go down stick handle it around the box and then bring it back.

After that, it was time to practice some shooting drills. The classes had to stick handle the puck down and shoot it at the box and then bring it back to their line.

Finally, what better way to end their day of hockey than by taking some shots on the players!! The kids did a great job getting the pucks pass these two.

This was a great experience for the kids. They had a fun time learning a great sport and being able to interact with the guys!

If your son or daughter's school is interested in having some players come and teach hockey, you can download the form, and more information, by going to http://www.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com/assets/Hockey-101-13-14.pdf or clicking here. If you would like additional information on the program or if you have questions, you can also contact Katie Sack at (630) 594-1159. This is a great opportunity for kids of all ages, and it is completely free to participate in!! Make sure not to miss out!!

Well Steel Fans this is just the beginning of appearances for the 2013-2014 season!! Make sure to keep your eye out for more inside looks of the appearances the players do this season!!

Have a great weekend everyone!! 

Don't forget opening night is roughly 5 weeks away!! 

We look forward to seeing you there!! 

Happy Birthday To You!!

Happy Tuesday Steel Fans!! We hope that you are enjoying the gorgeous weather we are having today. Let's face it, parents and kids are always looking for fun things to do on their birthday. The questions become, what should we do, where should we go, what will be fun for everyone? Here's an easy answer...CELEBRATE WITH THE STEEL!! Not only can the birthday boy or girl bring all of their friends with them, but they can also have a once in a lifetime experience!! Check out the birthday packages that we have below!! 

Rusty’s Party – $135

• 12 Tickets
• Receive 3 tables in Rusty’s Party Pound
• Receive a visit from Rusty
• Autographed Chicago Steel puck
• 2 Pizzas
• 2 Pitchers of Soda
•  Locker Room Tour
• PA Announcement
• 2 Tickets a future game
• Additional Tickets available at a discounted rate
• Suite upgrades available at a discounted rate

Penalty Box Birthday – $160

• Birthday boy/girl plus the birthday party gets to watch warm-ups from the penalty box
• 12 Tickets
• Receive 3 tables in Rusty’s Party Pound
• Receive a visit from Rusty
• Autographed Chicago Steel puck
• 2 pizzas
• 2 Pitchers of Soda
• Locker Room Tour
• PA Announcement
• 2 Tickets a future game
• Additional Tickets available at a discounted rate
• Suite upgrades available at a discounted rate

Tunnel Of Champions – $185

• Birthday boy/girl plus birthday party lineup backstage to high five and cheer on Steel players before the team hits the ice
• 12 Tickets
• Receive 3 tables in Rusty’s Party Pound
• Receive a visit from Rusty prior to the game
• Autographed Chicago Steel puck
• Rusty’s Kids Club Membership for birthday boy/girl
• 2 pizzas
• 2 Pitchers of  Soda
• Locker Room Tour
• PA Announcement
• 2 Tickets a future game
• Additional Tickets available at a discounted rate
• Suite upgrades available at a discounted rate

Puck Drop Birthday – $200

• Birthday boy/girl gets to drop the ceremonial puck drop
• 12 Tickets
• Receive 3 tables in Rusty’s Party Pound
• Receive a visit from Rusty prior to the game
• Autographed Chicago Steel puck
• Rusty’s Kids Club Membership for birthday boy/girl
• 2 pizzas
• 2 Pitchers of Soda
• Locker Room Tour
• PA Announcement
• 2 Tickets a future game
• Additional Tickets available at a discounted rate
• Suite upgrades available at a discounted rate

To reserve your birthday party today call (630) 594-1161!! 

These packages go fast, so don't miss out on them!! 

Have a great day Steel Fans!! 

Throwback Thursday

Happy Thursday Steel Fans!! Since today is Throwback Thursday we figured we would take a look back on the rivalry between the Chicago Steel and the Dubuque Fighting Saints during the 2012-2013 season.

This past season the Steel went 2-2 in the four games they played against Dubuque. Ironically, in all four of the match-ups, the home team was able to come away with the night's win. When looking back at the games it is apparent that these two teams never gave up when playing each other. Each team made the other team work hard to capitalize on any opportunities that appeared during the game.

This season the Steel and the Saints will match up six times in the matter 8 months. Each team will play three games on their home ice. Make sure you don't miss out when the Steel welcome Dubuque to the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL on October 19th, November 23rd, and March 21st. We guarantee you won't want to miss these games!!

Have a great weekend Steel Fans!! 

Don't forget 43 days until opening weekend!!

Pre-Season Action

Happy Tuesday Steel Fans!! We hope that you had a great weekend! 

Since it is a nice day outside, we figured we would start out by sharing a fun USHL fact with you. This year the USHL recorded a record high of 32 players, from the 2012-2013 season, drafted by NHL teams. This is the highest number since the league initially started.

Now let's look forward to this season. Every year, prior to the start of the season, the USHL sets up a Fall Classic for all 16 teams in the league to participate in. This is a time where players and coaches can get an idea of what the season might hold for them, as well as, identify things their team might have to work on before opening night. 

Last week the USHL came out with the official Fall Classic schedule for the East and West. The Indiana Ice will be hosting the classic, for the Eastern Division, with all games being played in Indianapolis, IN. Below is the official schedule: 


USHL Fall Classic East Game Schedule
Friday, September 13^th – Pan Am Pavilion (Indianapolis, IN)
2:00 PM – Chicago Steel vs. Team USA
5:45 PM – Dubuque Fighting Saints vs. Youngstown Phantoms

Saturday, September 14^th – Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
10:15 AM – Team USA vs. Youngstown Phantoms
1:30 PM – Dubuque Fighting Saints vs. Chicago Steel
4:45 PM – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks
8:00 PM – Green Bay Gamblers vs. Indiana Ice

Sunday, September 15^th – Pan Am Pavilion (Indianapolis, IN)
12:30 PM – Green Bay Gamblers vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
5:45 PM – Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. Indiana Ice

Don't forget Steel Fans OPENING WEEKEND is September 20th and 21st!! 

We look forward to seeing then!!

CONGRATULATIONS BRIAN KELLY!! 

You are the winner of an 

Official Autographed Chicago Steel Practice Jersey!! 

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest, we hope you enjoyed trying to figure out the lie. Through your comments we had a variety of different guesses for each player. Check out the answers below to see if you guessed correctly! 

Christian Neumann #4

1. I played hockey for Naperville Central High School.

2. I hate football.
3. I'm a Cubs fan.
4. Taco bell is my favorite fast food.

Answer: Taco bell is my favorite fast food.





Tim Davison #16
1. I have 2 brother and 2 sisters.
2. I was born in Iceland.
3. I really like Chris Dodero, Patty Polino, and Charlie O'Connor.
4. There is something wrong with my stomach.

Answer: I was born in Iceland.





Charlie O'Connor #21
1. My favorite food is chicken.
2. I love taking long walks on the beach.
3. I love cats.
4. I love playing hockey.

Answer: I love cats.