Chicago Steel Week 10 Game Preview

Week 10 of the 2014 USHL season presents two road games for the Chicago Steel, on either side of the holiday. On Wednesday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m., the Steel will face-off against the Thunder in Bloomington, Ill.  

The Chicago Steel (9-6-2) are coming off a thrilling overtime victory against the Fargo Force. The Steel fell to Fargo 3-2 on Friday, but took Saturday’s contest 5-4 off Zach Osburn’s game-winner in extra time. The Steel fell behind 4-1 on Saturday but fought back to force overtime. Brendon Kearney scored in the second period, while Peter Tischke and Mason Bergh tallied third period goals. Osburn’s goal completed the comeback and gave the Steel a much-needed two points. Bergh’s one goal and three assists over the weekend helped extend his league-leading point (27) and assist (19) totals.

Bloomington (5-10-3) heads into week 10 after a three-and-three this past weekend where they went 1-1-1. An overtime loss to Youngstown was followed up by a win against the Phantoms on Saturday. Sunday, the Thunder lost 4-3 in Muskegon. Bloomington will take on the USA Developmental Team in between the Wednesday/Saturday contests with Chicago. The Steel and Thunder have split their two meetings this season, both decided by a single goal. 

The Steel are on the road for nine of their next ten games. The next home game will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13^th against the Green Bay Gamblers. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Steel box office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

Scenes From The Steel Game

Rusty and Chicago Steel Fans

Post-Game Autographs with Bergh, Schilling, and Ernsting

A Lucky Steel Fan Rides the Zamboni

Rusty and Bruins Youth Hockey

Chuck-A-Puck During Intermission

The Steel Win in Overtime!

Zach Osburn Celebrates OT-Winner with Rusty

                          Stick Tap for the Victory                                                   

Weekend Milestones

- Dennis Gilbert netted his first career USHL goal.

- John Lethemon made his 200th career USHL save.

- John Schilling recorded his 40th career USHL point assisting on Saturday's game-tying goal.

- Freddy Olofsson earned his 15th point of the season with an assist on a Blankemeier goal.

- Peter Tischke tallied his 10th season point with a goal and assist in Saturday's overtime win.

- As a team, the Steel totaled their 100th season assist on Mason Bergh's game-tying goal.

- Mason Bergh's one goal and three assists on the weekend helped him surpass his points total (25) from last season and earn his 50th career USHL point.

Pregame Chat With Coach McConnell--Week Nine

Photo Credit: MJB Images

STEEL: Fargo comes into the weekend series losing seven of its last nine games.  The Steel are entering tonight’s contest after three solid road wins.  How do you keep the guys motivated and not take the Force lightly?

McConnell: There are really no off nights in the league this season. We know we have to come out and play our game and stick to what we are trying to do.  Fargo has good goaltending and a solid group of kids coming back from last season.  Fargo possesses high end talent that can put the puck in the back of the net if we give them opportunities.  We have to stick to our system and play the way we know how.

STEEL: The team has really come together in the last month and the Steel currently stand 8-5-2.  What has been the reason for the turnaround after somewhat of a slow start to the 2014-15 season?

McConnell: It wasn’t necessarily a slow start, but it was the fact that we were learning how to play as a team. Anytime you have a lot of guys returning you expect that you are going to start the year a certain way.  However, we weren’t the same team we were last year.  We had to find out who we were and what our identity was.  Over the course of the last three or four weeks, our guys have really been coming together and understanding and believing in each other. Early on, we were on the wrong side of six, one-goal hockey games and that’s just the testament of our character of a team trying to feel itself out and learn how to win together.

STEEL: It was a special week for goaltenders Cale Morris and John Lethemon.  Morris was named to the U.S. Junior Select Team and will compete in the World Junior A Challenge, while Lethemon made his college commitment to Michigan State University.  What does this say about the Steel’s ability to find goaltenders and prepare them for a high level of play.

McConnell: Over the last several years we have had the fortunate ability to find talented goaltenders and continue their path of development.  We have also had the luxury of a guy returning from the season before and shouldering the load, but also having a young talent arrive and push him.  As a result, both of them become better goaltenders. Cale and John are just another tandem that have come in and allowed us to win games. 

Our goaltending coach, Larry Clemens, does an excellent job with our goalies.  He knows how to work with each athlete in their own style.

Chicago Steel Week Nine Game Preview

The Chicago Steel return to the Edge Ice Arena this weekend for a Friday/Saturday series with the Fargo Force. Puck drop for Friday’s matchup is at 7:35 p.m. Saturday’s play will begin at 7:05 p.m.

The Steel (8-5-2) come into this weekend riding a three-game win streak and have won five of their last six games. Last weekend, the Steel escaped Omaha with a 4-3 win after Connor Murphy’s game-winner with less than three minutes to play. Goals from Tanner Laczynski, Robby Jackson and Brendon Kearney gave the Steel a 3-0 lead midway through the third period before Omaha’s offense netted three goals in a span of four and a half minutes to tie the game. Murphy’s goal came just 19 seconds after the Lancers tied the game. Jackson and Kearney each had an assist to go with their goals, and John Lethemon made 36 saves in the victory.

The Force (7-7-1) split their series with Sioux City last weekend. After dropping Friday’s game 6-3, Fargo lit the lamp with 31 seconds remaining in Saturday’s game to win 3-2, bringing an end to their five-game losing streak. Force forward Denis Smirnov leads their offense with 11 assists on the season and is currently on a five-game point streak.

Tickets are still available for both games this weekend and can be purchased by calling the Steel box office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Following Friday’s game, we will have a Postgame Autograph Session with forwards Mason Bergh, John Schilling and John Ernsting. Saturday is Movember Night! In support of Men’s Health Awareness, any fan that comes to the Steel box office with a mustache (real or fake) will receive $2.00 off their ticket! Additionally, you can donate to our team Movember page at moteam.co/chicago-steel-hockey-team. All donations support men’s health.

All Access: Connor Murphy

Photo By: USHL

After his game-winning goal on Friday in Omaha, Steel forward Connor Murphy is now tied for the team lead with seven goals. In his first season in the USHL, Murphy has made a seamless transition from the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, where he spent two years with the Caledonia Corvairs. During his time in Caledonia, the Canadian forward racked up 167 total points in 100 games. After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2012-13, Murphy took home Player of the Year honors this past season as Caledonia captured the Sutherland Cup (GOJHL Championship). We had a chance to catch up with Connor and get his thoughts on his past in Canada, his present in Chicago, and his future in Michigan.  

Q: Last weekend, you were able to lift the team to victory after a late comeback by Omaha. Can you talk about the game and what happened on your game-winning goal?

A: You know what, it was a big win for us as a team. It was a great start to the game; we came out and had a lead. Unfortunately, we let up for a few minutes, had a little bit of a lapse, and we let them back into the game. But we’re a character team and when things get tough, we step it up. I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time. It was a great play by everybody on the ice, and it was a real testament to the kind of character that we have on the team.

Photo By: MJB Images

Q: You are now tied for the team lead with seven goals. How have you been able to come into your first season in the USHL and immediately make an impact for the Steel?

A: In all honesty, again, it’s just a testament to everybody on the ice and on the team. There are so many guys contributing every night, and it makes it so easy to play your game and work hard when you have so many great players to play with. The coaches work with all of us every day, and we have such a balanced team that it just makes it very easy for everybody to play great and be himself on the ice. 

Q: You are being very humble, and we know that you had a lot of success last season with your junior team in Canada. Can you talk about your accomplishments there?

A: Yeah, I played two seasons in Caledonia, and as a team we had a lot of success - we won the championship [Sutherland Cup] last year. The coaches gave me a lot of opportunity there to play in important situations and I was able to make the most of it by working hard. I can never thank the [Caledonia] coaching staff enough for everything that they have done for me. We had a great group of guys, and it was a lot of fun to go to the rink everyday; a lot like it is here with the Steel.

Q: How does the USHL compare to the GOJHL in Canada?

A: The USHL is definitely a step up. It’s great hockey. Every team, from top to bottom, has great players and there are no weak links. The game is very fast and very physical, and it’s a lot of fun to play here. It’s very exciting, and there is constant back and forth play. It definitely was a bit of an adjustment, but like I said before, it is a lot of fun to be a part of.

Q: Congratulations on signing your National Letter of Intent this week to play at the University of Michigan! What ultimately led you to choose the Wolverines over other schools?

A: Well it was a very exciting day signing with Michigan. Going through the process, and growing up, Michigan was always one of the schools that you heard about the most. Especially being from Canada, the Michigan Wolverines were always huge, and it’s only a couple hours from home, which was a big, big positive for me. I’m just very excited to be a part of that program.

Q: What do you like most about living and playing near Chicago and how has it been adjusting to life outside of Canada?

A: So far the experience has been great. My billet family is unbelievable. I’m living with Connor McDonald, and he has taken me under his wing a little bit and has been awesome in helping me with the transition. And again, all the other guys in the locker room, it’s awesome because we just have so much fun coming to the rink every day, and you can’t ask for much more than that. It has just made that transition so much easier, with everyone being so welcoming. It really is a special group we have here in Chicago.

Q: Do you have any pregame routines or rituals that help you get focused?

A: In all honesty, I don’t do too much. I try to just stay loose, have some fun with the guys, and make sure I’m stretched out and ready to go. I play soccer with the rest of the guys. I’m not too good, but I like playing with the boys. 

Q: Can you talk about Fargo and how you guys feel heading into the back-to-back play with them this weekend?

A: We have been on a little bit of a roll lately, and we are really starting to come together as a team and forge our own identity. It’s going to be two really big games for us. We don’t know too much about Fargo since we haven’t played them yet, but we just need to stick to our game plan. We have been working hard all week in practice and hopefully, if we stick to what we’ve been working on, we’ll earn some points.

Photo By: MJB Images

Player Appearance: A.F. Ames School

Chicago Steel players brought the Steel's Hockey 101 Program to A.F. Ames School in Riverside this past Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, Connor McDonald, Brendon Kearney, Connor Murphy, and Peter Tischke taught kindergarten through fifth grade students hockey fundamentals such as stick handling, passing, and shooting. Students scrimmaged against the players toward the end of class, which was a favorite for most. On Tuesday, Mason Bergh, Freddy Olofsson, and Cale Morris represented the Steel and answered student questions. Thank you to Ames School for hosting the Chicago Steel for two days of fun!

Chicago Steel Week Eight Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have just one game on the schedule this weekend. After sweeping the Youngstown Phantoms in back-to-back Sunday/Monday play, the Steel travel to Nebraska for a Friday matchup with the Omaha Lancers. Puck drop for Friday’s game is at 7:35 p.m.

The Chicago Steel (7-5-2) won two of their three games this past weekend. On Thursday, the Steel fell to the Waterloo Black Hawks, 7-4, at Seven Bridges Ice Arena to coincide with the Bauer World Hockey Invitational. Later in the weekend, the Steel traveled to Ohio for a two-game set with the Youngstown Phantoms. Sunday, the Steel came out strong with two goals in each of the first two periods to capture a 5-2 victory behind Cale Morris’s 41 saves. Monday, Chicago fell behind 3-1 early in the second period before scoring six consecutive goals for a 7-5 victory. Mason Bergh tallied two goals and one assist on Monday to take his weekend points total to seven. Overall, Bergh leads the league in points (23) and assists (16).

Omaha (4-6-2) struggled through the first month of the season but rides a three-game win streak into this weekend. The Steel will have to find a way to score on reigning Goaltender of the Year, Hayden Hawkey, who was recently selected to the U.S. Junior Select Team. Omaha forward, Shane Gersich, currently sits second in the league with nine goals on the season. Gersich and another Lancers forward, Anthony Angello, were also named to the U.S. Junior Select Team, along with Steel forward, Robby Jackson. Omaha is seeking their first home win of the season, while the Steel hope to capture two points.

The Steel will return home next weekend for a Friday/Saturday back-to-back with the Fargo Force. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Steel box office at 630-594-1161.

All Access: Mason Bergh

Photo By: USHL

Steel forward Mason Bergh has taken the USHL by storm this year, scoring seven goals and tallying 16 assists through the first quarter of the season. Hailing from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Bergh joined the Steel in 2013 as a first round draft pick in the USHL Futures Draft. Last season, Bergh tallied 25 total points for the Steel - a number that he could easily eclipse this weekend in Omaha. Although he currently leads the league in both points (23) and assists (16), Bergh insists the only thing he cares about are his teammates, his coaches, and helping the Steel make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

Q: You have started very strong this season and currently lead the league with 23 points. Can you talk a little bit about your play and how you’ve been able to be successful so far this season?

A: Yeah, I’ve been put in a lot of different places that have allowed me to succeed. I’ve obviously been playing with a lot of good players, and I couldn’t do anything without them. So just being able to play all aspects of the game and being able to play with those guys has helped me a lot. So hopefully we can keep going and win some more games. 

Q: Now that you’re in your second year, has anything felt different this season?

A: I don’t think so. We have a strong leadership group and we’re all one. There’s no new guy versus veteran deal, so we are all on the same page and work as a team. It’s been a lot of fun so far. 

Q: As a team, the Steel have won four of five games after a bit of a slow start. Have you noticed a change in anything, or has Coach told you guys anything?

Photo By: MJB Images

A: We definitely didn’t want to start the way we did last year, going 0-10. We just sat around and looked at each other and decided that if we were going to win we had to play as a team and everyone had to buy-in. I think as of late everyone has been on the same page, and it has obviously showed with the wins that we have had. If we keep playing our game and stick to the process, I think we will be fine. 

Q: At the start of the season, did you have any goals that you were hoping to accomplish?

A: I didn’t really have any individual goals but I think we were all hoping for the Steel to make the playoffs and have a good run. I think we just need to keep playing as a team and get some more wins.

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

A: I think the best thing about playing here is having fun and wanting to come to the rink every day. I know some other kids in different scenarios don’t necessarily enjoy it, but everyone here loves coming in every day. Everyone wants to work hard for each other and for our coaching staff, so it’s been a lot of fun playing for the Steel.

Q: Do you think the Steel have helped in your development and preparing you for your future?

Photo By: MJB Images

A: Oh, yeah. At the start of last year, I don’t think I was where I wanted to be. But being here has helped me mature as a person and as a hockey player. I think playing for the Steel has been the best thing for my hockey career.

Q: Can you talk about your college decision and what ultimately led you to choosing Colorado College this past March?

A: Towards the end of last year, I had been talking to some other schools. But when I went out on my visit, I fell in love with the area. CC has always been a school that I’ve really liked watching because I’ve known a couple players that went through there. And when I went out there, it solidified my decision. But for right now, I’m just focused on the Steel.

Q: Lastly, how do you feel heading into this weekend and moving forward through the rest of the season?

A: It’s obviously a big game for us since we only have one game this weekend. We need to put it all on the line. Hopefully we can keep this streak going and keep moving in the right direction. We’ve been playing pretty well lately and we don’t want to take two steps back, so it’s a big two points and hopefully we can get them.

Photo By: MJB Images

Scenes From The Steel Game

Photo Credit: Bauer World Hockey Invitational
The National Anthem

Photo Credit: Bauer World Hockey Invitational
Chicago Steel Take the Ice

USHL Commissioner @USHLCommish · Nov 6

Packed house in Chicago suburbs watching @USHL action. Thanks to all that helped showcase USA's best Junior hockey.

Photo Credit: MJB Images
Ryan Blankemeier

Photo Credit: MJB Images
Dennis Gilbert

Photo Credit: MJB Images
Bench Celebration

Photo Credit: MJB Images
Goal Celebration

Rusty and a Steel Fan

Ready for 'Blind Man' at Intermission

Photo Credit: USHL
Post-Game Autographs with the Steel

Thursday Milestones

- Robby Jackson tallied his 10th point of the season with a second period goal.

- As a team, the Steel surpassed 100 total points (39 G, 68 A) on the season.

Sunday Milestones

- Robby Jackson recorded his 20th career assist on Ryan Blankemeier's goal.

Monday Milestones

- Mason Bergh earned his 30th career USHL assist against Youngstown.

- Ryan Blankemeier scored his fifth career USHL goal and fifth goal in the last six games.

- Peter Tischke surpassed 150 PIMs for his career.

- John Schilling tallied his 15th career USHL goal and followed up with a 16th in the third period.

Streaking

- Mason Bergh is riding a nine-game point streak into Friday's game.

- John Schilling has a five-game point streak and four-game goal streak going into the weekend.

- Ryan Blankemeier has a six-game point streak and a three-game goal streak.

- Tanner Laczynski holds a six-game point streak.

Chicago Steel Week Seven Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have three games on the slate in week seven. On Thursday, the Steel host the Waterloo Black Hawks at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, Ill. The team will then travel to Ohio for back-to-back road games against the Youngstown Phantoms on Sunday and Monday. Puck drop on Thursday is at 6:30 p.m. Puck drop from Youngstown is at 4:05 p.m. CST on Sunday and 6:05 p.m. CST on Monday evening.

The Steel (5-4-2) won two of their three games this past weekend. On Friday, they could not hold on to an early 2-0 lead against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, falling 5-3. Saturday, Chicago responded in dramatic fashion, dominating the Des Moines Buccaneers 7-2 at home, with goals from seven different players. Sunday, the Steel traveled to Madison and won a tight game 2-1, with a second straight impressive showing from goaltender Cale Morris.

Waterloo (4-3-2) is coming off a strong 6-4 win on Halloween against the Lincoln Stars, where they saw forward Brock Boeser (cousin of Steel assistant coach, Dan Boeser) record three goals and an assist. Waterloo is currently fifth in the Western Conference.

Youngstown (6-3-1) was on a three-game win streak until last Saturday, when they lost 3-1 to Muskegon. Forward Kyle Connor has been battling with Steel forward Mason Bergh for the early season points lead. Bergh currently leads the league with 16 points but Connor is close behind with 15. The Phantoms currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern conference with 13 points, but the Steel are close behind with 12 points.

As a reminder, Thursday’s game is at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge Ill. and the game is sold out.

Scenes From The Steel Game

Trick-or-Treating with Rusty

Brendon Kearney, Tyler Sifferlen, and Connor Murphy

Post-Game Autographs

Cale Morris vs. Des Moines
Photo By: MJB Images

Goal Celebration
Photo By: MJB Images

Connor Murphy
Photo By: MJB Images 

Goal Celebration
Photo By: MJB Images

Steel Fans Ready for the Shopping Cart Race

Steel Fans Enjoying Tunnel of Champions

The Tunnel Before the Third Period

Players Participate in #StickTap2Hope Supporting Jack Jablonski and Raising Awareness for Spinal Cord Injury Treatment
Photo By: MJB Images

Friday Milestones

- Ryan Blankemeier netted his first USHL career goal.

- Tanner Laczynski had his fifth USHL career assist.

- Mason Bergh earned his 25th USHL career assist.

Saturday Milestones

- Mason Bergh tallied his 15th USHL career goal.

- Nate Kwiecinski, Tanner Laczynski, and Jake Bunz scored their first goals of the season.

- Dennis Gilbert tallied his fifth USHL career assist.

- John Schilling, Freddy Olofsson, and Brendon Kearney tallied their 20th USHL career assists in the 7-2 rout of the Des Moines Buccaneers.

Streaking

- Tanner Laczynski completed a three-point weekend, earning one point in each game.

- Freddy Olofsson rode a six-game streak into Sunday.

- Mason Bergh carried a five-game point streak into Sunday and is now tied for the league lead in points.