The red-hot Chicago Steel took the ice at Fox Valley Arena Saturday, hosting Team USA. Winners of three straight game heading into Saturday’s action, the Steel were looking to continue their recent STRONG play with Ian Shane starting in net.
The first period was more of a wide open affair with both teams generating multiple opportunities. The teams traded goals to start, with Chicago’s Jackson Blake lighting the lamp, his fourth goal of the season, at 11:25 (Assists: Matthew Gleason, Luke Levandoski), followed three minutes later by Team USA’s Dylan Duke (Ethan Straky) at 14:26.
But the rest of the period belonged to the Steel—and forward Josh Doan, who rewarded himself by being at the front of the net on two successive goals, the first at 15:26 (Sean Farrell) and again at 19:19 (Jack Babbage, Farrell).
Babbage was victimized on Team USA’s second goal, when a puck caromed off Babbage’s leg, past Shane and into the Steel net, off what appeared to be a pass by USA forward Andre Gasseau.
Steel forward Farrell capped off a stellar 3-point night, with a power play goal at 18:59 of the second period (Matt Coronato, Erik Middendorf), pushing the score to 4-2.
Late in the third period, with the score 4-2 Chicago, the visitors pulled netminder Kaidan Mbereko for an extra attacker, but Shane came up big, thwarting Team USA. Steel defenseman Ryan Ufko finished the scoring for the night with Chicago’s fifth (empty net) goal at 19:37 of the third (Colton Huard).
The final was 5-2, with Shane registering 26 saves in an overall strong performance. The Steel take their four-game win streak against Youngstown this Thursday in a 2:05 PM Central start.