Youngstown 6, Chicago 5
This past weekend, Chicago took the road winning two-of-three games against the Youngstown Phantoms. The two victories raised the Steel into second place in the Eastern Conference (15 – 9 – 1 – 0) of the USHL.
Youngstown took down the Steel in game one, at the Covelli Centre, 6 – 5. The Phantoms scored three goals in a span of 3:04 in the third period to overcome a two-goal deficit and put the Steel away.
Early in the first period, forward Mathieu De St. Phalee opened the scoring for Chicago in the first period. The Wisconsin commit buried a pass from forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine. Phantom goaltender Christian Stoever could not stop the forehand-backhand move by De St. Phalee.
Mathieu De St. Phalle breaking down the middle and scores 🚨 @ChicagoSteel first on the scoreboard ☝️ #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/9FaBLdbl69
— USHL (@USHL) December 15, 2018
The game would become tied after the Phantoms tallied on the power play. Forward Connor MacEachern’s goal came off a nice blocked shot, but found forward Brett Murray’s stick, who dished a pass to MacEachern for the goal.
With the game tied at 1 – 1 after the first period, the second period would start off like gangbusters.
De St. Phalle scored his second of the game, just :22 into the period, when Phantom forward lost control of the puck and slid one past Stoever. De St. Phalle was the last Steel to touch the puck, awarding him the goal. Fontaine and defenseman Mateo Pietroniro assisted on the misplay.
Just under three minutes later, Pietroniro put the Steel up 3 – 1. The captain found himself between the dots and ripped a wrist shot, five-hole, past Stoever.
Check out @ChicagoSteel defenseman and captain @matteo_piet scoring a pretty silky goal. #SteelDeal #WeAreSteel @HockeyNapsak pic.twitter.com/68nExaHCuS
— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile.bsky.social) (@PuckinHostile) December 17, 2018
The lead would not last long for Chicago. Youngstown defenseman Gianfranco Cassaro and forward Ben Schoen would score 35 seconds apart, tying the game at 3 – 3.
Chicago would retake the lead when defenseman John Spetz found the back of the net, finishing off a five-on-three power play. The power play goal was Chicago’s such goal in four games. A nice give-and-go with forward Travis Treloar gave Spetz enough time to one-time a blast past Stoever and Chicago a 4 – 3 advantage.
John Spetz rockets on top shelf to put @ChicagoSteel back on 🔝 #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/JXDSC12BXQ
— USHL (@USHL) December 15, 2018
Another Steel goal would extend their lead back to two goals, 5 – 3. Center Adam Robbins scored on a no-look pass from forward Neil Shea, adding another power play score.
The wheels would then fall off for Chicago. Youngstown rallied with three goals in just more than three minutes. Murray found the net twice, while forward Craig Needham once. Youngstown would take the lead 6 – 5 and Chicago did not have an answer late.
Chicago 7, Youngstown 2
Chicago would waste no time evening the series up on Saturday. Seven different players scored goals for the Steel, giving the visitors a 7 – 2 victory.
The scoring would start with Youngstown taking a 1 – 0 lead after forward Brett Murphy scored his third goal on the weekend, and sixth goal in five games. The power play goal came just over five minutes into the contest.
Chicago would then score the next five goals, started by center Nick Abruzzese, after a nice give-and-go with forward Neil Shea, only 62 seconds after the Phantoms took the lead.
Nick Abruzzese on the one timer! ⏰ @ChicagoSteel tie things at ☝️ #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/lAv25BjhYG
— USHL (@USHL) December 16, 2018
Next, forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine fired a wrist shot by Phantom goalie Jon Mohr, giving Fontaine his fifth goal in as many games, giving Chicago a 2 – 1 lead.
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine sends this puck howlin' into the net! 🐺 @ChicagoSteel take the lead #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/M5J0pPb2rw
— USHL (@USHL) December 16, 2018
Taking a 2-1 lead into intermission, Chicago came out with three goals in the first six minutes of the second period. The first goal came from left wing Josh Groll. The goal, assisted by center Cole Quisenberry and defenseman Jim Dowd, was Groll’s third on the season.
Forward Travis Treloar would extend the lead to 4 – 1, only 2:25 after Groll’s goal, flipping a shot past the glove of goaltender Mor. Abruzzese would assist on the play.
"Nobody can drag me down" 🎶 Travis Treloar scores while falling down 👌@ChicagoSteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/rVPe6nWCa1
— USHL (@USHL) December 16, 2018
The Steel made it 5 – 1 when center Adam Robbins, on the power play, fired a one-timer past Mor, following a nice feed from Treloar.
Youngstown would change goalies, sending Gor to the bench in favor of Friday night’s winning goaltender, Christian Stoever. The goalie change appeared to spark the Phantoms, resulting in a quick score.
Just over a minute after the change, Youngstown cut the lead to 5 – 2, after forward Trevor Kuntar fired a shot past Chicago goaltender Reilly Herbst. However, this would be the last time the Phantoms would dent the scoreboard.
The goal would not faze the Steel, as Chicago would score the last two goals of the game. Defenseman Owen Power finished off a nice pass from Abruzzese, giving the Steel a 6 – 2 lead. Minutes later, Shea scored on the power play.
With the 7 – 2 victory, Chicago set themselves up to win the weekend series.
Chicago 4, Youngstown 3
Not only did the victory on Sunday gave Chicago the weekend series win, but also extended their excellent play to eleven wins in thirteen games, right before the holiday break.
Youngstown would storm out to a 2 – 0 lead in the first period. The first goal, on the power play, scored by Liam Robertson, was followed by another goal, from John Larkin. The deficit would not be too much for the Steel to overcome.
With under a minute in the first period, forward Mathieu De St. Phalle finished off a nice feed from center Adam Robbins. De St. Phalle beat Phantom goalie Christian Stoever, playing in his third straight game of the weekend.
Mathieu De St. Phalle on a saucy feed from Adam Robbins 🍝 @ChicagoSteel #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/i9ivEPI0Bg
— USHL (@USHL) December 16, 2018
The Steel would find themselves down two goals, again, after Brett Murray fired a shot past Chicago goaltender Reilly Herbst, giving the Phantom a 3 – 1 lead.
Only 36 seconds later, forward Christian Sarlo slipped a rebound past Stoever, assisted by forward Neil Shea, after firing a one-timer on net, cutting the lead to 3 – 2.
Forward Ryan Doolin would tie the game at the 13:52 mark of the second period. The forward tipped home a pass from De St. Phalle. The goal tied the game at 3 – 3.
A third unanswered goal gave Chicago a 4 – 3 lead. Robbin’s power play goal, with 3:43 left in the second period, found the back of the net after after defenseman John Spetz fired a shot from the point, initially stopped by Stoever, but Robbins would not be denied on the rebound attempt.
The Phantom would have one last power play, their ninth of the game, but could not tie the game, even after pulling Stoever to make the advantage 6-on-4.
Youngstown outshot the Steel 26-21 but Chicago took the victory 4 – 3.