Chicago Steel Week 22 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have a full slate of home games at the Edge Ice Arena this weekend. Friday evening, the Steel take on the Green Bay Gamblers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at 7:00 p.m., the Steel face-off against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Sunday afternoon, the Steel welcome the Madison Capitols to the Edge, with play beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The Chicago Steel (19-19-3) are coming off a weekend sweep of the Lincoln Stars.  Friday night, in Dan Boeser’s first game as interim head coach, the Steel defeated the Stars 3-1 behind 32 saves from Lassi Yrjola. Saturday evening, the Steel lit the lamp four times in the second period to take a commanding 5-2 lead entering the final frame. Lincoln scored twice in the latter half of the third, but the Steel held off the comeback and picked up the 5-4 victory for the weekend sweep. Marcel Godbout tallied five points (1g, 4a) last weekend to earn CCM Forward of the Week honors. 

The Green Bay Gamblers (14-22-5) are coming off two losses to Fargo last weekend. The Gamblers have struggled in 2015, winning just one of their 13 games in the new year. Three weeks ago, the Steel picked up their first shutout victory of the season, defeating the Gamblers 1-0 in overtime. This season, the Steel are 2-1-1 against Green Bay.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks (26-14-3) have climbed to second in the Eastern Conference. This is the fifth time the Steel and the Jacks have faced each other this season, splitting the previous four contests. Muskegon forward Griffen Molino is tied for the league lead with 33 assists and goaltender Eric Schierhorn leads the USHL with a .923 save percentage.

The Madison Capitols (18-14-9) currently sit just above the Steel in sixth place in the East. Sunday will mark the first ever meeting between the Capitols and the Steel at the Edge Ice Arena. This season, Chicago is 3-0-0 against Madison, with a +11 goal differential. The December matchup between these two teams saw Brendon Kearney record his first career hat trick in an 8-1 Steel win.

Tickets for the weekend games are still available and can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. After Friday’s showdown with Green Bay, we will have a postgame autograph session for all fans. Immediately following Sunday’s contest against Madison, we will have Shoot with the Steel! For $3.00, fans will be allowed on the ice with Steel players and will have three shots on goal.