Team USA Sneaks Past Chicago Friday
October 30, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN - In their fifth road game in eight days, the Chicago Steel (3-8-0-1, 7 points) battled Friday to a 3-2 shootout loss to Team USA (4-3-1-1, 10 points) at USA Hockey Arena. Recent acquisitions Karch Bachman and Grant Gabriele each tallied goals for the Steel in regulation, while goaltender Daniel Vladar made 37 saves to help the Steel end a four-game point drought.
Chicago opened up the scoring 3:14 into the game, as Karch Bachman carried the puck from the right wing boards into the circle and wristed a shot that bounced off both the top of the net and the back of Team USA goaltender Jake Oettinger before falling behind the goal line. Later in the fast-paced first period, Team USA's Zach Walker tied the game by slipping a quick wraparound shot inside the left post.
The Steel regained the lead in the second period when Christiano Versich found Grant Gabriele inside the right circle and Gabriele buried a shot over the shoulder of Joseph Woll, who took over netminding duties for Team USA midway through the game.
Team USA tied the game once again when left wing Graham McPhee sent a wrist shot from the right circle past the glove of Steel goaltender Daniel Vladar at 10:02 of the 3rd period.
For the first time this season, the Steel headed to overtime. Bachman committed a tripping penalty with 1:37 remaining in the extra session to take away a key scoring chance down low from USA's Clayton Keller. The Steel fought off Team USA's flurry of power play chances in the final minute, sending the game to a shootout.
Team USA winger Kieffer Bellows, the defending USHL Rookie of the Year, scored in the first round of the shootout, and defenseman Adam Fox slid a puck under the left pad of Vladar in the second round. Chicago centers Tanner Laczynski and Jake Jaremko were each denied by Woll in the shootout, as Team USA won the shootout 2-0, and the game 3-2.
Oettinger and Woll combined for 29 stops in Team USA's victory.
The Steel now prepare for a busy month of November, which includes seven home games. First up is Military Appreciation Night on Friday, November 6, as Chicago hosts the Muskegon Lumberjacks at 7:30 p.m. CST. Tickets are complimentary for active military and veterans. For more details or to purchase tickets, call 855-51-STEEL, visit the box office inside Fox Valley Ice Arena or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
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United States Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2015
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