The Chicago Steel opened up the new year this past weekend with a home 6–4 victory over the Green Bay Gamblers at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Forward Mackie Samoskevich led the way with two goals and one assist. Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native Jackson Blake also had a three-point night with one goal and two assists.
On Friday, Samoskevich scored the first two goals of the game for the Steel in the second period to give the home team a 2–0 lead. Both goals were assisted by Blake.
The Stingray strikes for his fifth of the season!https://t.co/0TMNVBHERV | #WeAreSteel https://t.co/3siPogCO0i pic.twitter.com/nloM6ZRSSy
— Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) January 3, 2021
Green Bay fired back with a score of their own late in the third period to cut the Chicago lead to 2–1, only to have Blake score his sixth goal this season a few minutes into the third period. Blake’s goal was assisted by Luca Fantilli and Samoskevich.
The rookie now has 6 goals this season!https://t.co/0TMNVBHERV | #WeAreSteel https://t.co/h4bMKIB1FW pic.twitter.com/l8pcLJMhLQ
— Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) January 3, 2021
After a second goal by Gambler forward Camden Thiesing cut the Steel lead to 3–2, this goal coming while Green Bay was shorthanded, forward Matt Coronato scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season. Coronato’s goal was assisted by Scottsdale, Arizona, native Erik Middendorf and forward Joe Miller.
Matt Coronato invented the term “All gas, no brakes”https://t.co/0TMNVBHERV | #WeAreSteel https://t.co/KUdUpCSJbA pic.twitter.com/oMeg4NDrke
— Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) January 3, 2021
Green Bay would answer the Coronato tally with two goals of their own to tie the game 4–4 at the 12:26 mark in the third period.
At the 14:58 mark of the third period, Coronato scored his second of the game, and 13th of the season, on the power play from a nice setup from defenseman Ryan Ufko. Forward Sean Farrell also assisted on the play.
Steel goaltender Nick Haas stopped 23 of the 27 shots he faced for his sixth win on the season. Haas is a spotless 6–0–0 on the year.
On Saturday, Chicago travelled to Mystique Ice Center in Dubuque, Iowa, for their matchup with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, which resulted in a 2–1 overtime loss for the Steel. Both teams would only account for 24 shots apiece in the game.
Dubuque forward Primo Self scored his first goal this season at the 15:27 mark of the first period when he beat Chicago goaltender Ian Shane. The score would remain 1–0 until the third period of play when Coronato finally beat Dubuque’s goaltender Hobie Hedquist at the 16:46 mark of the third period. Coronato’s goal gave him 14 on the season. The play was assisted by Middendorf and Farrell.
🦬 🦬 🦬 Make it 15 straight games with a point for The Bison! https://t.co/5f6k7xaTb6 pic.twitter.com/2HMawyKESq
— Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) January 3, 2021
The Fighting Saints scored at the 1:23 mark of overtime to claim the victory when Andrei Buyalsky scored his first goal of the season. Shane made 23 saves in the losing effort.
With the split over the weekend, Chicago remains in first place in the USHL Eastern Conference with an 11–2–2–0 record, totaling 24 points in the standings.
Chicago’s next games are on the road on Friday and Saturday against Team USA. Both contests are slated for 7 p.m. puck drops.