The Steel moved past the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders into third place and took four important standings points from the second place Central Illinois Flying Aces this weekend.
Chicago Steel 5, Central Illinois Fighting Aces 4
The Chicago Steel hosted the Central Illinois Fighting Aces, Friday, for their Crazy Hat event to benefit Benefit Alyssa Alvin Foundation for Hope. Each player wore a unique custom painted helmet that was auctioned off to help raise over $3000 to help buy art supplies for the foundation.
During the contest, the Steel out shot the Central Illinois team 43-20 and eventually won 5-4. Captain and defenseman Matteo Pietroniro scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining in regulation to give his team an important two points and bring them within three standings points of the second place Aces.
Matteo Pietroniro takes a knee and scores the insurance goal @ChicagoSteel lead by ✌️ with under 2️⃣ min left #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/tnCfwLhFqG
— USHL (@USHL) December 1, 2018
Alternate captain Nick Abruzzese led the Steel with two points on the night, while Aces leading scorer Trevor Janicke and Ryan Seidem each had two points a piece.
With his two points Abruzzese took over the team lead in scoring, from Robert Mastrosimone, at 18 points.
Chicago Steel 5, Central Illinois Fighting Aces 1
The Steel took the back-end of their weekend home-and-home series to Grossinger Motors Arena for a Saturday night grudge match with the Central Illinois Fighting Aces. Unlike the game the night before, the Steel jumped out to a three-goal lead in the first period that they would never relinquish.
Five different Steel players scored and goalie Reilly Herbst saved 20 of 21 shots in this statement road game. Steel goals were from Jake Schmaltz, John Spetz, Nick Abruzzese, Mathieu De St. Phalle, and Christian Sarlo. Abruzzese led the Steel with three total points (1G,2A) for the night.
This goal. It’s reallll nice 👌 Mathieu De St. Phalle scores on a pretty passing play and the @ChicagoSteel lead by 3️⃣ #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/TrVF7sHOpC
— USHL (@USHL) December 2, 2018
The lone Flying Aces goal came 21 seconds into the second period by Jeremy Davidson from Chase Foley and Trevor Janicke, but the Steel added a fourth goal five minutes later to put the game well out of reach.
As a result, the third period turned into a chippy, fight filled event. Chicago’s Josh Groll and Central Illinois’ Benito Posa were each given five-minute fighting majors, and ten-minute game misconducts for a “Staged Fight.” Later, Aces forward Chad Hillebrand was given two-minutes for a high stick and a ten-minute game misconduct.