CHICAGO 5, YOUNGSTOWN 4
Chicago held on for a 5 – 4 victory, in overtime, despite jumping out to a 4 – 0 lead against the Youngstown Phantoms, on Friday. The Steel were led by forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine who finished off the Phantom when he scored the overtime goal, giving him his first hat trick of the season.
Fontaine also started the scoring for the Steel. The RPI commit took a nice pass from forward Mathieu De St. Phalle at the side of the net and fired a shot past Phantom goaltender Christian Stoever. Center Jake Schmaltz also assisted on the play.
Chicago goaltender Justin Robbins would make a huge save late in the first period to keep the Steel in the lead.
Justin Robbins (@ChicagoSteel) slides from ⬅️ to ➡️ to make a HUGE stop! #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/0BGV76esse
— USHL (@USHL) January 12, 2019
Defenseman Owen Power would score at the 19:45 mark of the first period, on the power play, giving Chicago a 2 – 0 lead. Power’s shot beat Stoever blocker side for his third goal of the season. The goal gave both forward Nick Abruzzese and captain Matteo Pietroniro assist on the play.
The second period was a wild one, as both teams combined to score five goals. Chicago defenseman Casey Staum made the game 3 – 0 when he scored his second goal of the season. Staum fired a shot past Stoever blocker side from a nice pass by Fontaine.
Midway through the second period, Fontaine scored his second on the night, extending the Chicago lead to 4 – 0. Fontiane slipped a shot past Stoever five-hole.
The game would make a huge swing into Youngstown’s favor until Fontaine the rest of regulation. Phantom goaltender Stover would be replaced by Chad Veltri and the Phantom seemed to respond to the change.
After the change, Youngstown answered with three straight goals to cut the Steel lead to 4 – 3 with just under two minutes left in the second period. Chicago took that lead into the second intermission.
The only goal scored in the third period would come from Phantom forward Brett Murray when he tied the game, on the power play, after Chicago took an early period penalty.
In overtime, Robbins made a key save right before Fontaine finished off the game, at the 2:04 mark, giving the Steel the victory.
Come for the Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (@ChicagoSteel) hat trick and overtime winner.
Stay for the goal call. 🐺🐺🐺#WhosNext pic.twitter.com/T44k03RwzU
— USHL (@USHL) January 12, 2019
Greg Moore post-game interview: CLICK HERE
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine post-game interview: CLICK HERE
CHICAGO 4, GREEN BAY 2
The Chicago Steel scored three unanswered goals in the third period, against the Green Bay Gamblers, resulting in a 4 – 2 victory at Fox Valley Arena. Center Nick Abruzzese registered three points (2 goals, 1 assist) to lead the Steel to the comeback.
Abruzzese got the Steel on the board, at the 7:15 mark in the first period, after he beat Green Bay goaltender Maksim Zukov. The goal gave the Harvard commit his twelfth goal on the season.
The Gamblers tied the score when forward Jackson Perbix beat Chicago goaltender Justin Robbins. However, Robbins would keep the score tied with a few fantastic saves toward the end of the first period.
Green Bay took the lead in the second period after forward Gleb Murtazin finished off a 2-on-1 opportunity, beating Robbins to make the score 2 – 1
The score would remain 2 – 1 until the 7:04 mark of the third period, when forward Robert Mastrosimone tied the game. After a tripping call against Green Bay, Mastrosimone beat Zukov for this thirteenth goal of the season, assisted by Abruzzese and defenseman Matteo Pietroniro.
This goal… it's Quacktastic 🦆 Robert "Ducky" Mastrosimone on the give-and-go scores @ChicagoSteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/6EMj9YrOXz
— USHL (@USHL) January 13, 2019
Less than two minutes later, Abruzzese scored to put the Steel up for good. The crafty forward gathered a rebound and beat Zukov five-hole.
An empty-net goal by Mathieu De St. Phalle gave the Steel a 4 – 2 victory and a sweep on the weekend. Robbins collected 26 saves, giving the Quinnipiac commit his 13th victory of the season.
Chicago will once again be at home this weekend as the Steel take on the Central Illinois Flying Aces for the “Celebration of Girls Hockey” on Friday at 7:05 p.m. On Saturday, Chicago hosts the Sioux City Muskateers at 7:05 p.m, for the Teddy Bear Toss presented by Geneva Family Dental. Fans can bring as many new, unwrapped teddy bears to toss onto the ice when the Steel score their first goal of the game.