2013-2014 SEASON IN REVIEW
The Steel were clicking on all
cylinders for the first two months of 2014. The team went 12-3-3 over that
span. After completing a sweep in the opening weekend of 2014, the most
noteworthy victory in the month of January for the Steel was their 4-3 shootout
win over the Lincoln Stars on Jan. 17. Midway through the game, the Steel found
themselves down 3-0. The Steel did not surrender and mounted a comeback. They
put their first tally on the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the second
period. In the third, the Steel took advantage of two power play chances to tie
things up. Robby Jackson had
two goals while CJ Smith added the third. In the shootout, Cale Morris stopped
both of the Stars shooters. Artem Artemov and Brady Jones both converted on their
attempts to earn the victory.
Moving into February, the Steel
went 1-1-1 in the first three games of the month. After that stretch, the
Steel’s offense came alive in a major way. During a five game winning streak
from Feb.14-22, the Steel netted 32 goals.
The first win came in a shootout
over Team USA 9-8. The Steel followed that game up
with another eight goal performance the following night. The Steel defeated the
Muskegon Lumberjacks 8-2 that night. Mason Bergh led the Steel’s offense that
weekend with six points (3g, 3a). For his efforts, Bergh was named the CCM
Forward of the Week for the USHL. He would have to share the team spotlight
though because Alec Vanko was named the CCM Defenseman of the Week after his
four point (4a) weekend.
The Steel’s offensive show
partially overshadowed the other major accomplishment of the team. Following
their victory on Feb. 21, the Steel became playoff eligible for the first time
all year.
On Feb. 22, Robby Jackson had his
best game of the season. He recorded five points in the Steel victory including
his first career USHL hat trick.
In March, the Steel stumbled. The
team ran into some heavy competition and posted their first sub .500 record,
4-6-0, for a month since October. During March, the Steel only played three of
their 10 games against teams who did not make the playoffs. On March 19, the
Steel hosted their second school day game. Though they lost, the game was the
100th career USHL game for Steel captain, Danny Fetzer. In the final game
of the month, the Steel took down the Des Moines Buccaneers 5-2. CJ Smith led
the way with his hat trick.
In the opening game of April, it
was Fetzer who led the Steel to a 5-2 win over Youngstown .
In the third period, Fetzer lit the lamp three times to record his first career
hat trick. Fetzer’s hat trick was unique. Not only did he record all three
goals in the same period but the first was scored shorthanded while the other
two were put into an empty net. On April 4, the Steel were eliminated from the
playoff picture by the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The season ended with the Steel
just four points shy of a playoff spot.
Season Fast Stats:
Robby Jackson recorded the most points (42) in a
Steel uniform this year. He was the team leader in goals with 28
John Ernsting was the team leader
in assists (29).
Jackson and Ernsting were the only
Steel members to appear in all 60 games.
Alec Vanko tied for 8th in
USHL for scoring among defensemen. He had nine goals and 20 assists.
Both Jackson (6th) and Smith (9th)
finished top-10 in the league for goals. All of Jackson ’s
goals were scored for Chicago , Smith recorded four with Muskegon before being traded to Chicago .
Chris Nell finished second in the
league for saves.
Cale Morris finished tied for
4th in the league with three shutouts.
Nell recorded an assist from the
crease for the second straight year.
Four different Steel players
recorded hat tricks this year. Ernsting (11.8.13 vs Green Bay ),
Jackson (2.22.14 vs Muskegon ), Smith (3.29.14 vs Des Moines ),
Fetzer (4.2.14 vs Youngstown ).
12 different Steel players
recorded a game winning goal this season.
THANK YOU FANS
Robby Jackson and Fredrik Olofsson
recorded the only Steel goals in the loss. Olofsson’s goal was scored on the
power play. Robbie Payne, Mason Bergh and Jackson all recorded assists.
Robby Jackson was named the first star of the game.
STEEL FALL SHORT AGAINST LUMBERJACKS
The Muskegon jumped out to a two goal lead in the
first period. Matt Iacopelli opened the game’s scoring just under four minutes into
the game. Christian Wolanin was credited with an assist. At the 17 minute mark
Jack Rowe found the back of the net to extend the lead. Chris Dodero and Adam
Larkin received the assists.
With 20 seconds remaining in the
game, Trevor Morbeck put an exclamation mark on the Lumberjacks victory with an
empty net goal. Wolanin picked up his second assist of the game on the goal.
John Schilling was named the
second star of the game.
FETZER’S HAT TRICK SECURES WIN
The Phantoms took a 1-0 lead late
in the first period. The Steel tied things up at the 6:42 mark of the second
period. John Ernsting scored while Fredrik Olofsson and Jake Bunz assisted. The
Phantoms were able to take advantage of a power play a few minutes later to
reclaim the lead 2-1.
Just a 1:59 into the third, Fetzer
converted while shorthanded to even the game. About halfway through the period,
John Schilling scored while on the man advantage. The Steel would not
relinquish their lead. Fetzer put an exclamation mark on the victory with two
shorthanded goals to end the period. CJ Smith, Olofsson, Schilling (2), and
McDonald all picked up assists in the third.
Cale Morris stopped 33 of the 35
shots he faced en route to the victory. Fetzer, Schilling, and Morris were
named the three stars of the game.
WEEK 28: WEEKEND RECAP
Friday’s game was a back and forth
affair that saw the teams combine for 10 goals in regulation. In the first, the
Steel took advantage of a power play to grab the first lead of the game. Mason
Bergh scored off a feed from Robby Jackson and Brian LeBlanc. Team USA responded quickly and tied things up
just over a minute later. Nick Boka received credit for the goal.
The first five minutes of the
second saw two lead changes and a tie. The Steel scored just 24 seconds into
the period to reestablish a lead. The goal was Jackson ’s
26th of the season. Team USA then responded with two goals. Jeremy
Bracco and Ryan Wagner scored for Team USA . The Steel
capped the second period scoring with a goal off the stick of Alec Vanko to
send the teams back into the dressing room tied. Connor Yau, Fredrik Olofsson,
CJ Smith and LeBlanc all recorded assists in the second period.
Team USA began the scoring in the third. They
scored 1:34 into the period to claim their second lead of the game. The Steel
answered with two goals. Jake Bunz netted his third of the season and then
Bergh found the back of the net for his second of the game. Olofsson and John
Ernsting assisted on the Bunz goal while Danny Fetzer had the lone assist on
Bergh’s tally. The Steel’s 5-4 lead held until the final minute of play. Team USA forced overtime when they scored with
54 seconds remaining in regulation.
In the shootout, the Steel
capitalized on their first two attempts. Jackson and Artem Artemov were the
shooters for the Steel. Cale Morris stopped both of the USA shooters to earn the victory. Morris
made 26 saves en route to the victory.
Jackson, Bergh and LeBlanc were
named the three stars of the game.
“Friday was a very up and down
game, it was an exciting game for the fans, not so much the coaches,” Steel
assistant coach RJ Enga said. “Our guys have proven this year that they have a
flare for the dramatic and they stayed true to that on Friday. USA has a lot of skill but we were able to
make some plays and convert on our chances and we looked good in the shootout.
Friday’s game really built some confidence as we hopped on the bus to head to Des
Moines .”
Saturday, the Steel jumped on the
Buccaneers early and held on for the victory. In the first, the Steel took a
commanding 4-0 lead. Jackson, Zach LaValle, and Smith (2) all scored for the
Steel in the first. Yau, Michael Booth, LeBlanc, John Schilling, and Alec Vanko
all collected assists in the first. After the fourth goal, the Buccaneers
pulled their starting goaltender. Ryan Ruck was perfect for the Buccaneers in
relief. He stopped all 19 shots he faced.
The second period passed without
any scoring. The Buccaneers started the third off by scoring two goals to cut
into the Steel’s lead. Their goals were not enough. Smith put an exclamation
point on the victory with his empty net goal with less than a minute remaining
in the game. The goal earned Smith the first hat trick of his United States
Hockey League career. The game was his second three point outing of the season.
Chris Nell stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced. Fetzer became the ninth and
final Steel player recording a point in the victory with his assist on Smith’s
final goal.
Smith and Jackson were named the
first and second stars of the game.
“We brought that confidence and
momentum from Friday with us into the first period Saturday in Des
Moines ,” Enga said. “We came out firing which is
atypical for us. We usually use the first period to feel out the game. We wear
teams out by working hard and then capitalize. I think the guys were confident
in themselves and knew what they were playing for as the season ends. Des
Moines was
able to capitalize on a couple chances late but we were able to get the W which
helps us building into this big week ahead.”
SMITH’S HAT TRICK PROPELS STEEL
Bensenville, IL (March 29th, 2014)
– CJ Smith recorded a hat trick as The Chicago Steel have continued
their winning way as they defeated the Des Moines Bucanneers Saturday night
5-2.
Robby Jackson started the Steel scoring 7:19
into the first period and Chicago never looked back. Zack LaValle got
the second Steel goal (Connor Yau and Michael Booth with the assists) and CJ
Smith recorded his first two goals of the game to finish the first period
giving the Steel a 4-0 lead heading into the second period.
Chris Nell earned his 16th win of
the year stopping 34 of the 36 shots he faced.
STEEL BACK TO THEIR WINNING WAYS
In the first, the Steel started
the game’s scoring off with a power play goal 7:45 into the period. Mason Bergh
scored with assists from Robby Jackson and Brian LeBlanc. Team USA answered just over a minute later off
a shot from Nick Boka. The teams headed into the first intermission tied 1-1.
The Steel took a 2-1 lead just 24
seconds into the second. Robby Jackson collected his second point of the game
on the goal. Team USA scored two unanswered goals to take
their first lead of the game. Jeremy Bracco and Ryan Wagner were the scorers
for Team USA . Alec Vanko
drew the Steel even again at the 6:29 mark. Connor Yau, Fredrik Olofsson, CJ
Smith and LeBlanc all recorded assists in the second.
Team USA came out in the third and regained the
lead 1:34 into the period. The Steel answered with two goals in the next five
minutes. Jake Bunz scored the first goal off a feed from Olofsson and John
Ernsting. Danny Fetzer found Bergh for his second of the game. The 5-4 Steel
lead held until the final minute of play. Team USA forced overtime when they scored with
an extra attacker.
The overtime period passed without
any scoring. In the shootout, Jackson and Artem Artemov converted on their
attempts. Cale Morris stopped both USA shooters to earn the victory. Morris
stopped 26 of the 31 shots he faced en route to the victory.
Jackson, Bergh and LeBlanc were
named the three stars of the game.
WEEK 27: WEEKEND RECAP
The Steel responded and cut the
Saints’ lead to a single goal about eight minutes into the final period. John
Ernsting netted the power play goal while John Schilling collected the assist.
The Steel could not draw any closer on Friday. Dubuque closed the game by adding two goals in
the final 5:02 of the game. The first of their final two scores came while on
the man advantage. McHugh received credit for his second goal of the game while
Jarrid Privitera assisted. Defenseman, Alexx Privitera drove home the final
Saint’s tally.
“Friday was a good game. The guys
played hard and worked hard. We had some ups and downs throughout the game but
the guys stuck with it and stayed true to our game. We had some good chances
but unfortunately the puck just didn’t fall in and we couldn’t capitalize,”
Steel assistant coach RJ Enga said.
Saturday, the Steel once again
fell behind early before mounting a comeback. Team USA took a commanding lead with three
goals in a ten minute span that stretched from the end of the first period into
the beginning of the second. Dylan Larkin, Noah Hanifin and Auston Matthews
scored while Ryan Hitchcock, Hanifin (2), Jack Eichel, Alex Tuch, and Colin
White all recorded assists.
The Steel finally answered at the
8:22 mark of the second when CJ Smith scored. Alec Vanko was given the lone
assist on the goal. The Steel added a second goal a few minutes later to cut
the lead to one. Danny Fetzer scored off assists from Artem Artemov and Connor Yau.
Team USA closed the second by adding their
third goal of the period to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.
That scored held until the 18:02 mark of the third when White added an empty
net goal to give Team USA the 5-2 win.
“Saturday, I thought we played an
excellent first period. In the second, we took a major penalty that they were
able to capitalize twice on. They didn’t get frustrated and managed to fight
back by doing the little things well. Our guys worked hard but again just
couldn’t seem to finish our chances and when you give a skilled team chances
they will,” Enga said.
CJ Smith was named the second star
of the game in the loss.
“This week we will work hard on
some specific points so we can capitalize on our opportunities,” Enga said.
Team USA grabbed a 1-0 lead with less than five
minutes remaining in the first period when Dylan Larkin scored. Team USA pushed their lead to three with two
unanswered goals to start the second period. Both goals were scored on the
power play. Noah Hanifin netted the first while Auston Matthews had the second.
The Steel finally tallied a goal of their own 8:22 into the second. Alec Vanko
found CJ Smith for the goal. Just over two minutes later, Danny Fetzer scored
off a feed from Artem Artemov and Connor Yau to cut the lead to one.
Team USA closed the second period with a score
to reestablish their two goal lead. That score held until the 18:02 mark of the
third. Colin White scored unassisted on an empty net. USA goaltender, Blake Weyrick stopped 17
of the 19 shots he faced on the night for his second win of the season over the
Steel.
CJ Smith was named the second star
of the game.
FIGHTING SAINTS TOP STEEL
The Saints jumped out to an early
lead scoring just two and a half minutes into the first period. Brett Boeing
scored while Jordan Klimek had the assist.
The Saints pushed their lead to
two just over five minutes into the second period. The rest of the period
passed without any excitement and the Steel headed into the locker room for the
second intermission down 2-0.
In the third, the Steel drew to
within a goal midway through the period. John Schilling found John Ernsting for
the power play goal. A few minutes later, the Saints capitalized on their own
man advantage to reestablish a two goal lead. Alexx Privitera added an
unassisted goal two minutes before the end of regulation to seal the victory.
STEEL STUMBLE DURING SCHOOL DAY GAME
Victor Bjorkung started the
scoring with his power play tally at the 10:46 mark of the first period. Jake
Bunz netted his second of the season a few minutes later to extend the lead.
Fredrik Olofsson, John Ernsting, John Schilling and Peter Tischke all recorded
assists in the first period as the Steel took a two goal lead into the first
intermission.
The RoughRiders took control of
the game in the second period with five unanswered goals. Andrew Poturalski
(2), Frederik Tiffels, Alec Marsh and Ivan Provorov were the goal scorers.
In the third, the Steel drew
within two after Brian LeBlanc and Artem Artemov found Robby Jackson midway
through the period. That was as close as the Steel would draw. Cedar
Rapids closed
the game with two additional goals. Mark Auk scored the sixth RoughRiders goal
while Jason Kalinowski capped things off with an empty net score.
WEEK 26: WEEKEND RECAP
Friday night, the Stampede took a
one goal lead after the first period. Sioux Falls stretched their lead midway through
the second period before the Steel responded with a goal of their own. John
Schilling was credited with the goal while Alec Vanko and Victor Bjorkung
picked up the assists. Less than five minutes into the third period, Robby
Jackson tied the game with goal number 21 of the season. The Stampede responded
with a goal of their own just over a minute later to retake the lead. They put
the game out of reach with two more goals in the following two minutes. Tony
Calderone put an exclamation point on the victory when he scored his second
goal of the game to push the Sioux Falls ’ lead to
four. Calderone (2g, 1a) and Ed McGovern (1g, 2a) had a game-high three points
in the contest and were named the first star and second stars.
“Friday, we played like a
tentative team,” Steel assistant coach RJ Enga said. “We didn’t play how we
know to play and how we have been playing. Also Sioux
Falls played
extremely well. They played a quick game and put lots of shots on net. I
thought they took charge of the game in the third with their defense. Simply,
they capitalized on their opportunities and we didn’t.”
Saturday, the Stampede again took
an early lead. Zeb Knutson put Sioux Falls up 1-0 less than two minutes into the
game. The Steel responded with a power play goal to tie things up a few minutes
later. Vanko and Mason Bergh picked up assists as Jackson scored. Sioux
Falls reclaimed
the lead with a goal in the final minute of the first period to head into the
first intermission up 2-1. The Stampede pushed their lead to three with two
unanswered goals to start the second period. The Steel did not go away quietly
and mounted a comeback. Michael Booth found Jackson to cut into the Stampede’s lead. At
the 15:09 mark of the second, Bjorkung found the back of the net to bring the
Steel to within one. Danny Fetzer tied the game less than a minute later when
he successfully converted a penalty shot. Ed McGovern scored the lone goal of
the third period. McGovern’s goal broke the tie and earned the victory for the
Stampede.
“I thought Saturday was a
continuation of the third period on Friday,” Enga said. “We finally started to
look like and play like the team we know we are in the final 30 minutes of
Saturday’s game, but came up a little short.
“We are looking forward to playing
at home. We have seven of our last eight games at home which will be nice. We
won’t have to worry about travel and some other things which accompany that. It
will be nice to play in front of our fans and that should give us a lift as we
try to finish the year on a strong note.”
STEEL BATTLE
In the first period, Robby Jackson
tallied his first goal of the game on the powerplay at the 4:39mark to
knot the score 1-all. However, the Stampede’s Jason Stephanik scored with
14 seconds left in the period to give his team a 2-1 lead going into the first
intermission.
In the second, Sioux
Falls jumped
out to a 4-1 advantage just three minutes, 38 seconds in to the period. Chicago bent, but did not break, as they
fought back to tie the score, 4-4, with goals from Jackson, Victor Bjorkung and
Danny Fetzer.
In the third stanza, Ed McGovern
notched the game winner for the Stampede after he beat Cale Morris for the 5-4
advantage.
Chris Nell started in goal for Chicago ,
making 12 saves before being relieved by Morris. Morris made 18 saves in
just under 36 minutes of play.
STEEL FALL TO THE STAMPEDE
Sioux Falls, SD (March 14, 2014) –
The Chicago Steel dropped a 6-2 road decision to the Sioux Falls Stampede on
Friday night at Sioux Falls Arena. John Schilling and Robby Jackson both scored
for the Steel in the loss.
The Stampede, playing at home for
the first time in three weeks, carried most of the momentum out of the gate and
enforced their game on the Steel early in the contest. Just over five minutes
in, their pressure in the offensive zone led to the first power play
opportunity of the game, which they were able to capitalize on and protect for
the remainder of the hard-fought period.
In the second period, both teams
played a tight, back-and-forth game, trading scoring chances for most of the
period. After extending their lead to 2-0 midway through, John Schilling found
the back of the net for the Steel off the rush after beating one defender wide
at the blue line and making a strong play to keep control of the puck amidst a
maze of bodies and sticks. This was Schilling’s eighth goal of the season,
which was assisted by two recent college commits in Victor Bjorkung and Alec
Vanko.
Robby Jackson picked up the tying goal for the Steel
just under five minutes into the third period, beating Stampede goaltender
David Jacobson during extended possession in the offensive zone. The goal, his
22nd of the season and eighth in the last ten games, was a display of Jackson ’s
quick release as he was able to fire a loose puck from the left faceoff dot and
get the Steel back in the game. However, Sioux Falls was able to prevail in the end by
virtue of four consecutive goals separated by only five minutes.
WEEK
25: WEEKEND RECAP
The game began with an exciting opening minute of
play. Connor McDonald and Jacob Benson were both sent to the box with fighting
majors just ten seconds into the game. At the 39 second mark of the first,
Robby Jackson opened up the scoring. Jackson Jackson
The Steel added their final score of the game in
the middle of the second period. Mason Bergh scored while Robbie Payne and
Peter Tischke had the assists. In all, ten different Steel players recorded a
point against the Saints. After Bergh’s goal, Dubuque Kearney
“The guys had good energy all night and it
started before the game,” Steel assistant coach RJ Enga said. “They were
excited to play and knew it was a big game. They answered the bell right away,
got going right off the start and maintained that for all 60 minutes. We had
great goaltending from Cale and timely goals. We played with pace and tempo,
worked hard, and we were pleased with the result.”
STEEL
SHUTOUT DUBUQUE
Bensenville, IL (March 7th, 2014) - Chicago’s Cale Morris recorded his third shutout of the season as
the Steel beat the Dubuque Fighting Saints 4-0 at the Mystique Ice Center.
Morris moved his record to
11-2-1 in 2013-14 after stopping all 33 Dubuque Colo.
In the first period, The
Steel grabbed the lead just 39 seconds in when Robby Jackson put the puck past
Kevin Reich to give his squad the 1-0 advantage. CJ Smith added goals at 10:18
and 18:22 to put the Steel up 3-0 going into the first intermission
In the second stanza, Mason
Bergh scored to boost the Chicago
Brendon Kearney tallied two
assists in the victory, while John Ernsting, Fredrik Olofsson, Connor Yau and
John Schilling each added one of their own.
WEEK
24: WEEKEND RECAP
The Ice took a 1-0 lead after the first period on
Saturday. In the second, the Steel tied the game midway through the period.
Robby Jackson
Saturday’s game was also special because it was
the Indiana Ice’s 10th annual Pack the House
night. Attendance at those games has averaged over 11,000 fans. Saturday was no
exception as the attendance for the game was announced at 12,100.
“Saturday, was a great atmosphere,” Steel head
coach Scott McConnell said. “To see that many people at a USHL game was
something special. Unfortunately, we made a couple mistakes in our end which
ended up in the back of the net. We also did not get many second chance
opportunities in the offensive zone which put us in a bad spot to try and win a
hockey game.”
The Steel returned to their winning ways on
Sunday. In the first, the Lancers put two goals past Cale Morris for an early
lead. The Steel responded in a major way in the second, scoring three
unanswered goals of their own. Robbie Payne started the scoring off with a goal
about seven minutes into the period. Jackson Jackson
The Steel took the ice in the third and pushed
their lead to 4-2 when Jake Bunz blasted home his first United States Hockey
League goal. The goal would ultimately be the game winner for the Steel. The
Lancers finally answered with a goal of their own to cut into the lead with
about seven minutes remaining in the period. In the final minute of play, CJ
Smith put an exclamation mark on the victory with his empty net goal while the
Steel were shorthanded. Artem Artemov assisted on the Bunz goal while Brendon
Kearney assisted on Smith’s goal. Morris stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced on
Sunday on his way to the win. Bunz, Payne and Jackson were named the three
stars of the game.
“On Sunday, we came out a little slow and did not
play our game at the start,” McConnell said. “Omaha
With the split, the Steel have posted a 7-2-1
record over their last 10 games. With 11 games remaining, the Steel are still
holding onto the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
STEEL
LANCE OMAHA
Bensenville, IL (March 2nd, 2014) — Jake Bunz
scored the game winning goal for Chicago as the Steel came from behind to beat
the Omaha Lancers 5-3 at the Edge Ice Arena on Sunday.
Bunz’s winner came at the 5:20 mark in
the third period as the Steel scored four unanswered goals to gain a 4-2
lead. After falling down 2-0 after the first stanza, Chicago
Cale Morris made 31 saves in net for the Steel to
move his record to 10-2-1 on the year.
WEEK
23: WEEKEND RECAP
Friday, the Steel took a one goal lead after the
first period after converting on a power play chance. CJ Smith started the
scoring for the Steel. Smith was the first of four different Steel players to
score on Friday night. Fredrik Olofsson and Victor Bjorkung were credited with
the power play assists. In the second, the Steel again converted on the
man advantage to take a 2-0 lead. Brian LeBlanc scored this time around for the
Steel. Mason Bergh picked up his lone assist of the game while Bjorkung notched
his second. LeBlanc’s goal served as the game winner. The Bucs closed the
period with a score of their own to draw within one but that is as close as
they drew on Friday.
The Steel cemented the win in the final period
with two tallies. Steel captain, Danny Fetzer scored less than two minutes into
the frame to reestablish the two goal advantage. Brendon Kearney and Smith had
the helpers on the Fetzer goal. Artem Artemov finished the game by sliding a
puck into the empty Des Moines
Saturday, the Steel launched a highly offensive
attack on the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The game was the second time in a week that
the two teams squared off. The Steel took both games by a combined score of
15-5. Saturday’s victory was highlighted by Robby Jackson’s hat trick. Jackson Muskegon Jackson Jackson
In the third, the Steel put four pucks in the
back of the net and cruised to the victory. The Steel opened the period with
three unanswered goals to push their lead to 6-2. Jackson Jackson
Sunday, the Steel took a 1-0 lead a few minutes
into the game off a shot from CJ Smith. Bjorkung and Kearney
STEEL
FALL IN OVERTIME, UNABLE TO SWEEP WEEKEND
Bensenville, IL (February 23rd, 2014) —
Youngstown’s Kyle Connor scored the game winning goal in overtime as the
Phantoms defeated the Chicago Steel 2-1 on Sunday at The Edge Ice
Arena.
Connor’s overtime winner came just 27 seconds
into the extra period as the Steel move to 24-19-4 on the season.
Chris Nell made 29 saves in net for Chicago
STEEL
CUT DOWN LUMBERJACKS
Bensenville, IL (February 22nd, 2014) — Robby
Jackson led the way on Saturday night with three goals as the Steel defeated
the Lumberjacks 7-3. Fredrik Olofsson chipped in two others. In total, eight
Steel players recorded points.
The Steel came out and took a two goal lead after
the first period. Jackson
The Lumberjacks started the second period by
scoring two goals of their own to tie the game. Cullen Hurley and Matt
Iacopelli were the goal scorers while Daniel Willett and Jack Rowe had the
assists. Jackson
The Steel exploded for four goals in the final
period to put the game out of reach. Ernsting found Jackson
Chris Nell stopped 41 of the 44 shots he saw on
Saturday. Jackson, Olofsson, and Ernsting were named the three stars of the
game.
STEEL
STAY HOT, JUMP AHEAD OF GREEN
BAY
Bensenville, IL (February 22nd, 2014) — The
Chicago Steel are in the middle of their second straight three in three and
they are looking to repeat what they did last weekend, sweeping it. Chicago was able to take care of game tonight when they
defeated the Des Moines Buccaneers 4-1 in Des
Moines , Iowa
It would take just about a full period of play
for the next goal to be scored, but Brian LeBlanc was able to tally the second
powerplay goal of the night for the Steel late in the second period. Des Moines
Danny Fetzer was able to give the Steel an
insurance goal only 1:36 into the third period and Artem Artemov sealed the
deal with an empty net goal, making the final 4-1. Cale Morris had
another solid night in goal, stopping 31 of the 32 shots he faced.
With the Steel winning tonight’s contest and Green Bay losing to Youngstown
WEEK
23: WEEKEND PREVIEW
Friday’s game against the Buccaneers will be the
third this season between the two teams. The Steel have beaten Des Moines Des Moines
The Buccaneers are 2-1-2 over their last five games
and 16-21-5 overall. This season the Buccaneers have been led on offense by
Tanner Karty, Ryan Galt, and Danny Elser. Karty and Galt are tied with the
lead. Both players have appeared in 42 games recording 26 (12g, 14a) points. In
the 40 games he has appeared in, Elser has 24 (9g, 15a) points. Elser is the
only Buccaneer averaging better than a point per game in his last five. The
goaltending duties for the Buccaneers have been split evenly this season with
Ryan Ruck and Christopoulos both starting 21 games. Ruck is 11-7-3 with one
shutout while Christopoulos is 5-14-2 with two shutouts.
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting
between the Lumberjacks and Steel in a week. The Steel defeated Muskegon Muskegon
The Lumberjacks are 20-20-4 overall and 2-3-0 in
their last five games. The Lumberjacks have been led offensively this
season by Iacopelli, Jobst, Matt Mendelson and Morbeck. Iacopelli, a Western Michigan recruit, is averaging a point per game
over the Lumberjacks’ last five games. On the season, he has appeared in 42
games scoring 31 goals and adding 15 assists. Jobst is second on the team this
season with 28 (8g, 20a) points. Mendelson and Morbeck are tied for third.
Mendelson, a Penn
State
Sunday sees another Eastern Conference foe visit
the Edge Ice Arena. In four previous matchups with the Phantoms, the Steel have
posted a 3-1 record, while Kyle Connor and JJ Piccinich have been the leaders
on offense for Youngstown
The Phantoms have gone 2-3 over their last five
games moving their season record to 11-27-5. Along with Connor and Piccinich,
Maxim Letunov rounds out the top three scorers for the Phantoms. Connor, a Michigan Boston University Youngstown
The Steel enter this weekend just a single point
out of the playoffs. The Steel have gone 4-1 in their last five contests
including a sweep of their three games this past weekend. In two games against Des Moines Muskegon
WEEK
22: WEEKEND RECAP
The game against Team USA
In the second, each team managed to find the back
of the net three times. John Schilling scored twice for the Steel and Bergh
added the third goal. In addition to their goals, Bergh and Schilling both had
an assist in the period. Artem Artemov (2), Nathan Kwiecinski, and Vanko also
were credited with second period assists. Brian LeBlanc put his name on the
scorer’s sheet with his third period goal off an assist from Vanko. Payne
picked up his second point of the game on his unassisted goal and Bergh
completed his four point night with the game’s final tally. CJ Smith assisted
on Bergh’s goal to send the game to overtime.
The game was ultimately decided in the fourth
round of the shootout. Fredrik Olofsson scored for the Steel and Chris Nell
stonewalled the USA
“Friday night we were really happy with the
ability to put the puck in the net and battle back after losing a lead and
going down,” Steel head coach Scott McConnell said. “You can’t give Team USA
Saturday in Muskegon Muskegon
Eleven different Steel players recorded a point
in the game. Victor Bjorkung led all Steel scorers with four (1g, 3a) points.
Along with Bjorkung, Ernsting (2), Payne, Smith, Schilling, Bergh, and Kearney Kearney
“We were extremely proud of the way we played the
entire game against Muskegon
Sunday, Nell was able to pick up his third win of
the weekend against Tri-City. He stopped 42 of the 44 shots he faced. The Steel
came out of the gate quickly and managed to chase Tri-City’s starting
goaltender from the game. The Steel put three of their first eight shots into
the net. Bergh, Vanko and Olofsson scored in the first to give the Steel a 3-0 lead.
The goal was Olofsson’s first in a Steel uniform this season. He has only seen
action in eight games for the Steel after being acquired in a trade with Green Bay
The Storm put together a comeback attempt with
goals in both the second and third periods. The Steel answered the Storm’s goal
in the second when Jake Bunz found Ernsting for the score. In the third period,
the Steel were held off the scorer’s sheet for the first time since the second
period of the Feb. 9 game against Cedar
Rapids Eden Prairie ,
Minn.
“On Sunday, we started quick, got into a little
bit of penalty trouble and at times got a little loose,” McConnell said.
“But we were focused on the win and did what we had to do to get the points. We
stuck together as a team and Nelly made some big saves when he had to.”
STEEL
SWEEP THE WEEKEND
The Steel jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first
period and never looked back. Mason Bergh started the scoring off with a
goal 7:20 into the game. The goal was Bergh’s fourth of the weekend.
Robbie Payne picked up his first of two assists of the night on the goal.
Later on in the period, Alec Vanko and Fredrik Olofsson both netted
powerplay goals. The assists in the game went to Brian LeBlanc, John
Ernsting and Payne.
The Storm first got on the board in the second.
Chase Berger scored unassisted at the midway point of the period.
The Steel answered less than five minutes later when Jake Bunz found John
Ernsting breaking out of the zone. Garret Gamez scored the second and
final Tri-City goal with less than two minutes left game.
Chris nell stopped 42 of the 44 shots he faced en
route to the victory.
Olofsson, Payne and Nell were named the three
stars of the game.
STEEL
OFFENSE STAYS EXPLOSIVE
Chris Nell was named the number one star…Nell
saved 49 of the 51 shots that he faced, earning his second win in as many
nights.
STEEL
WIN IN HIGH SCORING SHOOTOUT AGAINST TEAM USA
Bensenville, IL (February 15th, 2014) — The
Chicago Steel took on the U-17 National Team last night in Ann Arbor Michigan
and it was a battle of the offenses as the final was 9-8 in favor of the Steel.
The newest member of the Steel, Freddy Olofsson, recorded the deciding
goal in the four round shootout.
Ten different players recorded points for the
Steel last night, with Mason Bergh leading the way with two goals and two
assists. John Schilling had a three point night (2 goals 1 assist) as did
Alec Vanko (3 assists). Robby Jackson, Danny Fetzer, Brian LeBlanc and
Robbie Payne also had goals in the match and Payne, Artem Artemov (2 assists),
Nathan Kwiecinski and CJ Smith all tallied assists.
Chris Nell earned the win in net stopping 14 of
the 16 shots he faced plus two of the four shots he faced in the shootout.
WEEK
21: WEEKEND RECAP
Cale Morris was in net for the Steel on Friday
night and earned his second shutout of the year. He managed to stop all of the
26 shots he faced. The highlight of Morris’ performance was his save on Matthew
Weis’ penalty shot in the opening period. If Weis had converted, the Gamblers
would have taken a one goal lead late in the period.
The lone goal of the game came off the stick of
Robby Jackson. Jackson beat Green Bay Jackson
The Steel victory means that the two teams split
the season series at four games apiece. Hackett’s performance for Green Bay
Sunday, the Steel tried to mount a comeback
against the RoughRiders but it ultimately fell short. Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids
The third period saw the most scoring in the game
as the teams combined for four goals. The Steel took advantage of two power
play opportunities for their two tallies. Jackson
Goals by Provorov and Corey Petrash sealed the
RoughRiders’ victory. Andrew Poturalski, Judd Peterson, Dylan Steman, and
Oglevie all picked up assists on the two scores.
STEEL
FALL AT THE EDGE
The RoughRiders opened up a two goal lead through
two periods of play. In the first, Andrew Oglevie notched a shorthanded tally
to open up the scoring. In the second, Dylan McLaughlin extended the Cedar Rapids
The third period saw both teams combine for four
goals. The Steel took advantage of a power play opportunity to draw within one.
Robby Jackson
Provorov and Corey Petrash both scored for the
RoughRiders in the third. Andrew Poturalski, Judd Peterson, Dylan Steman, and
Oglevie all registered assists. Chris Birdsall was in net for Cedar Rapids
Provorov, McLaughlin, and LeBlanc were named the
three stars of the game.
WEEK
20: WEEKEND RECAP
Friday’s victory was highlighted by multi-point
games from both John Schilling and Brian LeBlanc. The Musketeers held a 1-0
lead after the first but the Chicago
The Steel emerged for the third and extended
their lead in the opening minute of the period. Robby Jackson
Cale Morris stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced
en route to the victory. Jackson
Saturday saw the Steel and Lancers play to a tie
after 60 minutes of regulation play. Luca Frigo put the Lancers up 1-0 with a
goal in the final 1:30 of the first period. Tucker Poolman and Tyler Vesel
assisted. The Steel drew even with less than five minutes to play in the second
period. Bjorkung found Artem Artemov for the score. No player has scored more
goals in a Steel uniform this season than Artemov.
Midway through the extra session, the Lancers
broke the tie and took the victory. Vesel, the number two scorer in the entire
United States Hockey League, netted the game winner. Jake Randolph and Jimmy
Schuldt were credited with the assists. Hayden Hawkey took the victory stopping
29 of 30 shots he faced. Vesel, Hawkey, and Frigo were named the three
stars of the game.
Chris Nell had a great outing for the Steel. He
stopped 25 of the 27 shots he saw on Saturday. Over the weekend, the Steel
penalty killers were perfect, stopping the Musketeers and Lancers on all nine
of their extra attacker opportunities.
WEEK
19: WEEKEND RECAP
On Friday, the Steel could not beat the
combination of Jared Rutledge and Cam Hackett. The two Green Bay
Matthew Weis (2), Gavin Stoick, Dawson Cook,
Brent Gates Jr., and Matthew Purmal all scored for Green Bay
Saturday night, the Steel managed to grab a win
from the Youngstown Phantoms in the final minute of play. The Steel took the
first lead of the game shortly after the start of the second period when Artem
Artemov scored. The Phantoms quickly responded to tie things 1-all. Midway through
the period, Youngstown
Trailing 2-1 entering the final period of play,
the Steel managed to come from behind for the win. The Steel tied things up off
a CJ Smith shot 4:59 into the period. The rest of the period passed without any
scoring. In the final minute, Robbie Payne powered a shot past the Phantoms’
netminder for the game winning tally.
Cale Morris stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced
Saturday. Payne, Smith and Artemov were named the three stars of the game.
STEEL
FIGHT BACK AGAINST PHANTOMS
The game’s scoring started in the second period.
Artem Artemov put the Steel up 1-0 with his goal just over two minutes into the
period. CJ Smith and Jake Bunz assisted. The Phantoms responded to take the
lead on two power play chances. The first Youngstown
Just under five minutes into the third period,
the Steel capitalized on a power play chance of their own to draw even. The
rest of the period passed until the final minute. Robbie Payne sent the Steel
fans home happy when he beat Sean Romeo. Victor Bjorkung and John Ernsting
picked up the assists on the final tally.
Cale Morris was in net for the Steel and stopped
22 of 24 shots. Payne, Smith, and Artemov were named the three stars of the
game.
STEEL
BLANKED BY GAMBLERS
The Gamblers grabbed a 2-0 lead after the first
and never looked back. They would add three in the second period and the final
tally in the third. Five different Gamblers scored a goal on Friday. Matthew
Weis had two goals while Gavin Stoick, Dawson Cook, Brent Gates Jr., and
Matthew Purmal each added one. In addition to the goal scorers, seven other
Gamblers recorded at least a point.
The Steel could not manage much offense and
failed to convert on any of their four power play chances. Chris Nell made 12
saves and took the loss.
WEEK
18: WEEKEND RECAP
In Lincoln
After the third Lincoln
goal at the 9:48 mark, Chicago Jackson Jackson Lincoln Jackson
Saturday night, the Steel took a one goal lead
early but could not protect it. John Ernsting found Jackson Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids
WEEK
17: WEEKEND RECAP
While in Cedar
Rapids Cedar Rapids
The Steel entered the third period trailing by a
goal. Patrick Polino tied things up with less than five minutes remaining in
the game. After the overtime period came and went with no scoring
the teams headed to a shootout. The RoughRiders converted on their first
attempt and all three Steel shooters failed to convert. Chris Nell saved 41 of
the 43 shots he faced on the night. Polino was named the third star of the
game.
Saturday marked the first game this season
between Chicago and Sioux City
Less than five minutes into the third, the
Musketeers went on a power play. They were able to take advantage of the extra
man and take their first lead of the game. Bobby Nardella and Jared Thomas
assisted on the goal scored by Waltteri Hopponen. The Steel tied the game
when they were given a chance on the man advantage halfway through the final
frame. The two Europeans on the Chicago
In the overtime session it was the Steel’s
captain who ended things. Danny Fetzer buried the deciding goal 3:39 into extra
time. Artemov picked up his second assist of the game. Connor McDonald was
credited with the secondary assist.
Fetzer, Bjorkung and Nell were named the three
stars of the game.
STEEL
SLICE MUSKETEERS IN OVERTIME
The first period came and went with no scoring.
In the second, the Steel and Musketeers traded goals. John Ernsting started the
scoring on Saturday night. Peter Tischke and Robbie Payne assisted. The goal
was Ernsting’s 22 point of the season and extended his team lead. Joe Snively
quickly responded for the Musketeers. Sam Saliba picked up an assist on the
goal. After 40 minutes of play the two teams had been tied for 38:25.
Less than five minutes into the third, the
Musketeers took advantage of a power play and grabbed their first lead of the
game. Waltteri Hopponen scored for Sioux
City
Heading into overtime, the teams were tied at two
goals apiece. Danny Fetzer proved to be the hero and send the Steel fans home
happy. The game ended 3:39 into the extra period. Artemov picked up his second
assist of the game on the winning goal. Connor McDonald received the secondary
assist.
WEEK
16: WEEKEND RECAP
In Youngstown Youngstown
The final period was highlighted by two insurance
goals for the Steel. Robbie Payne moved the Steel lead to 3-1 with an
unassisted tally mid-way through the period. Bergh put home his second of the
game on an empty net in the final minute of the game. Bergh’s two goals matched
his season total. Goaltender Chris Nell had a superb game in net stopping all
but one of the shots he faced on Friday. Bergh was named the first star of the
game while Nell was named the third star.
Sunday afternoon, the Steel managed to come out
on top of a back and forth game against Green
Bay
In the second, Danny Fetzer scored to retake the
lead for the Steel. The Gamblers answered less than a minute later, while on
the man advantage, when Cook netted his second of the game. Mason Bergh and
Jake Bunz had assists on the Steel goal while Drew Best and Matthew Weis
assisted on the goal for the Gamblers. The game was ultimately decided in the
third. Robby Jackson, who has experienced a successful year against the
Gamblers, put home the game winner. Liam McGing and Connor Yau assisted Jackson Jackson
Fetzer, Polino and Jackson were named the three
stars of the game. The Steel victory also tied the season series between the
two teams. After dropping the first three meetings the Steel have now beaten
the Gamblers three straight times.
The Steel jumped out to an early two goal lead in
the first period. Artem Artemov started the scoring with a goal less than five
minutes into the game. Brendon Kearney and CJ Smith had the assists. With 6:50
remaining in the first, Danny Fetzer found Patrick Polino to extend the Steel
lead. Only 33 seconds later, the Gamblers responded and scored their first goal
of the game. Dawson Cook scored for the Gamblers while Ryan Siroky assisted. In
the final minute of the first, Connor Hurley tied the game off an assist from
Matthew Weis.
In the middle period, the two teams again traded
goals. The Steel retook the lead with 16:51 remaining in the second off a shot
from Fetzer. Jake Bunz and Mason Bergh had the assists. That was Bergh’s only
point in the game following a multi-point performance in Youngstown
Entering the final period, both teams were
deadlocked 3-3. Robby Jackson Jackson Jackson ’s
fifth goal in six games against Green
Bay
Jackson, Fetzer, and Polino
were named the three stars of the game.
WEEKEND RECAP
In Friday’s game, the Black
Hawks jumped out to a two goal lead by scoring a goal in each of the first two
periods. Alec McCrea had the first period tally and Drew Melanson capitalized
on the power play in the second. Melanson and Tyler Sheehy had the assists on
the first goal. Brandon Montour and Zach Sanford were credited with assists on
the second goal.
Saturday night’s game started
off with an uneventful opening period. The scoring finally started in the
second when Chicago Des Moines
Beginning in the third, the
Steel mounted a comeback and eventually tied the game at the 11:50 mark of the
period. Artem Artemov drew the Steel to within a goal about seven minutes into
the period. Peter Tischke and Brendon Kearney assisted. A shot off the stick of
Robby Jackson knotted things up about five minutes later. John Schilling and
Ernsting had the assists. The assist from Ernsting extended his current point
streak to six games. Jackson had the winning
tally in the shootout as Nell stopped all three Des Moines
STEEL SINK BUCS IN SHOOTOUT
The scoring did not begin
until the second period tonight. Michael Booth started things off with an
unassisted goal 9:16 into the period. The goal was the first for Booth in a
Steel uniform. After the Booth goal, Des
Moines
Entering the third trailing
by two goals, the Steel answered the Buccaneers with two goals of their own.
Artem Artemov scored with 12:55 remaining in the period to draw the Steel to
within one. At the 11:50 mark of the period, Robby Jackson tied the game. The
score held and the game headed into overtime.
Overtime did not settle
things and the victory was earned in a shootout. Jackson
scored for the Steel in the second round and Chris Nell stopped all three Des Moines
The three stars of the game
were Jackson, Artemov and Nell.
WEEKEND RECAP: WEEK 13
Tuesday marked the fifth
meeting between the Steel and Gamblers this season. The Gamblers started off
winning the first three games but the Steel have taken the last two contests.
In the opening period, Jordan Gross scored the lone goal on the power play and Green Bay Chicago Green Bay
The Steel were led on offense
in the game by CJ Smith. Smith found the back of the net once and helped on two
other goals. Smith was one of six Steel players to record a multipoint game.
Artem Artemov (2), Robbie Payne, Alec Vanko, Robby Jackson, and Smith were the
goal scorers against Green Bay
Just like on Tuesday, Friday
night’s game saw the Steel fall behind after the opening frame but battle back
for the win. Judd Peterson put Cedar
Rapids
The Steel now lead the season
series against the RoughRiders 2-0. The teams will meet four more times this
season, twice in Cedar Rapids and twice in Chicago Cedar Rapids Chicago Cedar Rapids
The Muskegon Lumberjacks
arrived in Chicago Muskegon
For the rest of the game,
whenever Muskegon scored, Chicago Muskegon
The leading scorers last week
were Smith, Ernsting, and Payne. Smith (3g,3a) and Ernsting (1g,5a) both had
six points while Payne (4g,1a) had five. Payne is currently on a six game
scoring streak. Eleven different Steel players recorded at least a point in the
three games last week. Against Green Bay , Cedar Rapids and Muskegon
STEEL TOPPLE LUMBERJACKS
The game began with the Steel
falling down a goal early when Matt Mendelson scored for the Lumberjacks. The
Steel responded to the deficit with three unanswered goals of their own to take
a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. CJ Smith started the Chicago
scoring with a goal five minutes after the Muskegon
For the rest of the game, the
Lumberjacks and the Steel traded goals. Robbie DeMontis and Mason Jobst had goals
for Muskegon
The third period was more of
the same. Only two goals were scored as 16 penalties were handed out. Five
players received game misconduct penalties. Carson Gatt scored the lone goal
for Muskegon
Payne, Ernsting, and Artemov
were named the three stars of the game.
STEEL SPECIAL TEAMS POWER PAST GAMBLERS
Artemov’s first goal came at
the 1:09 mark in the second period to knot the score 1-all. Two more
Steel goals by Robbie Payne and Alec Vanko pushed the lead up to 3-1 with just
over 11 minutes left in the period, but the Gamblers answered back as Dawson
Cook and Matthew Weis beat Chicago Jackson
Morris made 22 saves between
the pipes, while his teammates fired off 38 shots on Green Bay Chicago
WEEKEND 11: WEEKEND RECAP
After falling behind 1-0 less
than a minute into Friday night’s game the Steel responded and came from behind
to earn the victory. Robby Jackson
In the third period, the
Steel added two additional goals. Artemov picked up his second and Patrick
Polino tallied the fourth Steel goal. In addition to his goal, Polino also
picked up an assist in the game. The other Steel players to record a point in
the game were John Ernsting, CJ Smith, Brendon Kearney (2), Nate Kwiecinski,
and Liam McGing. Goaltender Chris Nell was stellar after allowing the opening
goal and stopped 45 of the 46 shots he faced in the game.
On Saturday, the Indiana Ice
managed to defeat the Steel for the second time this season. The Steel took a
1-0 lead in the game about five minutes into the second period but could not
maintain it. Robbie Payne was the lone goal scorer for the Steel while Brian
LeBlanc and Smith picked up the assists. After the Payne goal, the Ice scored
four unanswered goals to coast to victory.
STEEL GET ICED AT HOME
After an uneventful opening
period the scoring finally started with just under five minutes gone in the
second period. Robbie Payne scored during a delayed penalty to put the Steel up
1-0. Brian LeBlanc and CJ Smith were credited with an assist on the goal. With
8:25 remaining in the period Payne was sent off for slashing. Just after the
time expired on the Payne penalty the Ice drew even with the Steel. Vince
Pedrie scored the goal while Denis Smirnov had the assist. After Jake Bunz was
sent off for hooking the Ice took the lead. Jason Salvaggio scored on the power
play with 1:17 remaining in the second. Tyler Andrew and Smirnov had the
assists. The Steel headed into the second intermission down 2-1.
The bright spot in the third
period was Cale Morris denying Alex Talcott’s penalty shot. The Ice added
additional tallies at 10:31 and 9:25 remaining in the game. The third Ice goal
was Salvaggio’s second of the game. The final goal was scored by Dwyer
Tschantz. Joe Sullivan and Andrew assisted on Salvaggio’s third period goal
while Smirnov had the helper on the final goal.
STEEL WIN BATTLE VS. BUCS
Artemov’s goals, his seventh
and eighth of the season, came at the 10:48 mark in the second period and at
2:03 in the third. His first score of the evening proved to be the game
winner as the Steel overcame an early 1-0 first period deficit.
Robby Jackson
Chris Nell made 31 saves in
net for Chicago
WEEK 10: WEEKEND RECAP
Friday night’s game against
the Storm began with an uneventful opening period. Drew Mayer’s minor penalty
was the only event to make it onto the scorer’s sheet. In the opening frame the
Storm outshot the Steel 9-6 but could not take advantage of their chances. The
second period came and went with neither team able to find the back of the net.
The Steel took control of the game in terms of shots by outshooting the Storm
15-5. Both teams also traded unsuccessful chances on the powerplay and John
Ernsting failed on a penalty shot attempt.
In the final frame, the Steel
were finally able to break through and send the fans home happy. Just over three
minutes into the third Artem Artemov found the back of the net for his fifth
goal of the season. The Steel tacked on an empty-net tally by CJ Smith in the
final minute of play to secure the victory. The goal by Smith was his second
point of the game after assisting on the Artemov goal earlier in the period.
The play of the goaltenders
needs to be highlighted as both goalies had superb outings on Friday. Cale
Morris recorded the win by stopping all 21 shots he faced. The shutout was the
first in the United States Hockey League career of the Steel netminder. Morris
needed to be perfect because of Storm goaltender Jacob Johansson. Johansson
stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced in his losing effort.
On Saturday, Dubuque Dubuque
Less than a minute into the
third Artem Artemov and the Steel capitalized on a carryover penalty by Dubuque
STEEL FALL SHORT AT THE EDGE
Bensenville, IL (November
23rd, 2013) — Artem Artemov scored the lone goal for the Chicago Saturday night
as the Dubuque Fighting Saints came to The Edge Ice Arena and beat the Steel
3-1.
Artemov’s goal came 30
seconds into the third period to get the Steel on the scoring sheet. Dubuque
Chris Nell made 29 saves in
net for the Steel as they move to 6-13 on the year.
MORRIS EARNS FIRST USHL CAREER SHUTOUT
Bensenville, IL (November
22nd, 2013) – Cale Morris earned his the first shutout of his United States
Hockey League career Friday evening as the Steel defeated the Tri-City Storm
2-0 at The Edge Ice Arena.
Morris made 21 saves for his
second of the season. The Larkspur, Colo.
The game remain tied going
into the final period, before Artem Artemov scored his fifth goal of the season
at the 3:10 mark to put Chicago in front 1-0. The Steel would not
relinquish the lead thanks to their special teams stopping Tri-City on all five
of its man-advantage opportunities.
C.J. Smith added the empty
netter for his second point of the game. He assisted on Artemov’s game
winner earlier in the period.
Robby Jackson and Robbie
Payne added assists for Chicago
STEEL STUN STARS
McDonald scored at the 4:32
mark in the first period to get things rolling for Chicago Lincoln
The Steel opened the game up
in the second when Nathan Kwiecinski and Brady Jones scored 20 seconds apart at
14:50 and 15:10, respectively. In the third stanza, John Schilling (10:07) and
C.J. Smith (16:41) added two more for Chicago
Cale Morris made 29-of-30
saves to earn his first United States Hockey League win of his career. Lincoln
ERNSTING'S HAT TRICK PACES STEEL
After an uneventful opening
to the game, Artem Artemov opened the scoring in the Steel’s largest offensive
output of the season. With 13:15 remaining in the period Artemov lit
the lamp while Brendon Kearney and C.J. Smith picked up the assists. The
assists for Kearney Green Bay
Entering the period down two
goals, the Gamblers came out quickly and cut the Steel lead in half just over a
minute into the second. Christian Wolanin scored the unassisted goal for Green Bay
The Steel came into the third
period down a man from a carryover penalty to Mason Bergh. This penalty was
costly, at least temporarily, as the Gamblers took advantage of the man
advantage and took their first lead of the game 3-2.
From that point on in the
game John Ernsting took over and lead the Steel to victory. Ernsting netted
three consecutive goals for the Steel in the third period. His first goal
occurred with 17:45remaining in the period off assists from Connor Yau and
John Schilling. With just about eight minutes gone in the period the Steel
retook the lead for good. Ernsting scored his second goal while Jackson and
Connor McDonald assisted. Ernsting completed his hat trick at
the 14:53 mark of the third on a Chicago Steel power play. The tandem
of Schilling and Yau picked up their second assists of the game on the goal.
The Steel added their final goal only nine seconds later as Bergh found Brian
LeBlanc.
John Ernsting, Robby Jackson,
and John Schilling were named the three stars of the game.
STEEL SWEEP FORCE
The Steel started off strong
in Friday’s game scoring in the first minute of play. John Schilling scored his
first of two goals off an assist from John Ernsting. The goal was the first of
the season and first career United States Hockey League goal for Schilling.
That single tally put the Steel ahead and they never looked back. The rest of
the first and the second period passed with no other additions to the scorers’
sheet. In the third period the Steel picked up two insurance goals and took the
victory. Schilling’s second goal occurred on the power play. Victor Bjorkung
and Ernsting received credit for the assists. Mason Bergh scored the final goal
for the Steel as Peter Tischke picked up the assist.
The play of goaltender Chris
Nell cannot be over looked in this game. The Steel were outshot by the Force
40-33 but that did not matter as Nell was perfect on Friday night.
Nell recorded his first shutout of the season in the winning effort, stopping
all 40 shots he faced. For his performance Nell was named the first star of the
game.
Both teams returned to the
rink on Saturday to face off for the second game in as many nights.
The Chicago Chicago
In the second, Fargo Chicago Chicago
STEEL SCORE 4 STRAIGHT IN ROUTE TO VICTORY
In the first period Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids
The RoughRiders came out in
the second and managed to push the lead to 4-0 with about nine minutes
remaining in the period. Alec Marsh scored the first goal while Peterson netted
his second of the game. After a time out, the Steel started their comeback. Before
the period was over Chicago
Artemov started the scoring
in the third with his second goal of the game and third of the season. With
just 1:05 left in the game Vanko drew the Steel even off a feed from Chicago
No goals in overtime led to a
shootout. The first shooters for both teams failed to convert. In the second
round, Peterson scored for Cedar Rapids and
Robby Jackson answered for Chicago Cedar
Rapids
This was the first victory of
the 2013-2014 season for the Steel. Artemov, Nell, and Vanko were named the
three stars of the game.
STEEL PLAY HARD BUT BLANKED BY DUBUQUE
The game opened up with a
quiet first five minutes of play. After that, a series of penalties gave each
team opportunities on the power play. Chicago
was unable to cash in on either chance it was granted, while Dubuque
The final excitement of the
period occurred with Seamus Malone was assessed a four minute penalty for
spearing and ejected from the game.
The Steel came into the third
trailing by a goal and on the man advantage, a carryover from the Malone
penalty. Chicago Dubuque
Stewart stopped all 39 shots
he faced, while Nell racked up 34 saves in the loss.
STEEL FALL LATE TO LANCERS
The Steel came out fast and
took a 1-0 lead before three minutes had ticked off the clock. Biagio Lerario
was the goal scorer off a feed from John Schilling. The goal and assist were
the first points of the 2013-2014 season respectively for each player.
The scoring picked up in the
second. Omaha Chicago
The two goal cushion which Chicago entered the final period with was not enough as
the third stanza was all Omaha Omaha Omaha
Five players in the game all
picked up two points. Hough, Pooley, and Jake Randolph were the multi-point
scorers for Omaha
WEEKEND RECAP
Bensenville, IL (October
14th, 2013) – The Chicago Steel were shutout 3-0 by the Youngstown
Phantoms on Friday night at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.
In the first stanza, each
team traded penalties and subsequent power play chances, but failed to convert.
The Phantoms out-shot the Steel in the period 11-8, however the goalies were up
for the challenge and stopped all pucks directed their way.
In the second period, the
Phantoms took a commanding 2-0 lead off of goals by Josh Melnick and J.J.
Piccinich. Melnick’s goal occurred about five minutes into the frame off a feed
from Alex Smith. The Phantoms took advantage of a power play opportunity, one
of their nine on the night, on Piccinich’s goal after Chris Dodero was sent off
for spearing. Dodero also received a game misconduct on the play.
The Phantoms scored another
insurance goal in the third. Kyle Connor scored unassisted on a power play
opportunity for Youngstown
STEEL FALL TO GAMBLERS
Bensenville, IL (October 5th,
2013) — The Chicago Steel lost to Green Bay on Saturday evening as the
Gamblers defeated the Steel, 3-1, at the Resch Center.
In the first period, the
Steel managed to find the back of the net just 23 seconds into the opening
frame. Danny Fetzer was the goal scorer for the Steel and Alec Vanko picked up
the assist. The lead would not hold and the Gamblers pulled even just over 17
minutes later.
Things became quite chippy in
the second period as both teams combined for 15 penalties as well as two
fights. Green Bay
Entering the third only down
a goal, the Steel were given two separate power play chances to tie the game in
the opening 10 minutes of the period. Chicago Green
Bay
WEEKEND RECAP
While neither game ended with
the result that the Steel would have liked, a few positives did emerge. On
Saturday, a couple of players recorded their first goal of the season. Russian
newcomer, Artem Artemov and, Steel veteran, Chris Dodero lit the lamp for the
Steel. TJ Moore had a multi-point game, picking up an assist on both goals. The
Steel were able to outshoot Team USA
On Sunday, the U18s skill and
team chemistry were too much for the Steel to handle. The U18s enter this
season having already played together for all of the 2012-2013 campaign. The
Steel took the ice for the second period only down a single goal, but that was
as close as they would draw on Sunday afternoon.
Despite the 0-4 start to the
season there are many reasons to stay hopeful for the rest of the season. The
season does not conclude until April, so the Steel have many opportunities to
get back into position to make a run deep into the 2014 Clark Cup Playoffs. The
2013-2014 version of the Steel is a young team but a team loaded with
potential.
STEEL FALL TO BLACK HAWKS
The first period was fairly
uneventful for both teams. The Steel and Black Hawks traded opportunities on
the man advantage but were unsuccessful each time. There was some excitement
with 12:02 remaining in the period when the Black Hawks put the puck in the
back of the net but the goal was waived off. The rest of the period remained
scoreless and both teams headed to the dressing rooms tied 0-0.
The Black Hawks got things
started quickly in the second when they found the back of the net just 1:02
into the period. With 14:46 remaining Waterloo ’s
Brandon Montour and Austin Vieth found Liam Pecararo for his second goal of the
contest and pushed the Waterloo Waterloo
Trailing 3-1, Chicago came out for the third period and cut further into
the Waterloo Waterloo Chicago
STEEL WORK HARD, COMPETE, BUT FALL SHORT TO THE GAMBLERS
The first period began with
both teams exchanging penalties before the scoring started. Green Bay Green Bay
The second period opened and
the Gamblers quickly pushed their lead to two, still playing a man down. Ryan
Lough scored the shorthanded goal while Tironese picked up the assist. Chicago Green Bay
After an uneventful opening
half of the third period Green Bay Green Bay
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