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Chicago extends win streak to seven with sweep of Youngstown

  
Matt Coronato Chicago Steel
A hat trick by forward Matt Coronato helped guide Chicago to a pair of victories in Green Bay. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Steel)

The Chicago Steel swept a three-game series against the Youngstown Phantoms this past weekend, extending the Steel’s winning streak to seven games. Chicago scored 17 goals in three games to continue their offensive barrage in the early part of the season.

Chicago 5, Youngstown 3

In game one, Chicago charged out to a 2–0 lead with goals from Adam Robbins and Matthew Samoskevich. Forward Matthew Coronato assisted on both goals. Robbins tapped home a rebound from an Erik Middendorf shot after finding his way to the front of the net. Coronato found Samoskevich with a perfect cross-ice pass for his tally.

Youngstown tied the game at 2–2 beating Steel goaltender Nick Haas. Chicago took back the lead 3–2 when Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell scored seventh goal of the season. Farrell used his wicked wrist shot right before taking a hit from a Phantom defender.

The Phantom scored two minutes later to tie the game at 3–3 after two periods.

Adam Fantilli scored his first career goal in the USHL at the 11:34 mark of the third period to give Chicago the lead. Coronato scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season into an empty net to finish off the visitors 5–3. Fantilli tipped home the pass from defenseman Ryan Ufko.

Haas stopped 21 shots for the victory for Chicago.

Chicago 5, Youngstown 4

Chicago scored the first four goals of the game Friday night before hanging on for a 5–4 victory at the end of the night.

Jake Doan scored at the 5:49 mark of the first period. The goal generated the 10th straight game with a power play marker. Doan took a pass from Farrell and found himself wide open in the slot.

Chicago forward Luke Levandowski scored the first goal of his USHL career, at the 6:37 mark of the first period, only to be followed up with Jackson Blakes’ fifth goal to give Chicago the 3–0 lead after one period of play.

Middendorf continued the barrage with his seventh goal at the 0:31 mark of the second period. Chicago’s 4–0 lead would be cut in half when Youngstown forward Georgi Merkulov scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season, respectively.

At the 7:57 mark of the third period, Coronato found the back of the net to give the Harvard commit 10 goals in 10 games this season.

The Phantoms beat Chicago goaltender Ian Shane two times late in the third period, but the Steel showed great teamwork with the goaltender pulled and held on for the 5–4 victory.

Shane stopped 15 shots on the evening.

Chicago 6, Youngstown 1

The Steel looked like the best team all night after scoring two goals in the first, three in the second and one in the third in a 6–1 series-sweeping victory.

Defenseman Colton Huard scored his first goal of the season at the 4:40 mark of the first period. Chicago would follow up the marker with three straight power play goals, giving the first-place Eastern Conference Steel their 11th straight game with a power play marker. Doan, defenseman Ryan Ufko and Middendorf goals gave Chicago a 4–0 lead early in the second period.

Robbins scored his fourth goal and Coronato stayed hot with another tally, his 11th of the season. A late goal by Youngstown would be the only goal to squeak past Chicago goaltender Jack Stark, who stopped 17 shots in his first victory in the USHL.

Chicago outshot the Phantom 40–18 in the game.

The Chicago Steel are back in action on Friday at 6 p.m. CST at the Mercy Health Arena to take on the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Both teams square off in Muskegon the following night for another puck drop at 6 pm. CST. The matchup in Muskegon are the last two scheduled games for the Steel for the calendar year.

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