Abruzzese Lifts Steel Past Roughriders in Overtime
January 15, 2018 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - Nick Abruzzese completed a three-point night, converting an end-to-end rush and jamming in the overtime winner, as the Chicago Steel (14-10-1-2, 31 pts.) rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (12-11-4-1, 29 pts.) Friday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Four Steel skaters tallied multiple points on the night: Abruzzese (2+1), Derek Daschke (1+1), Jordan Seyfert (1+1) and Robert Mastrosimone (1+1). Abruzzese opened the scoring just 2:01 into the game, as the University of Vermont commit snapped a shot from the left circle past RoughRiders netminder Jiri Patera. Cedar Rapids forward Liam Walsh tied the game at the 6:39 mark, firing a top-shelf shot from the high slot for his fourth tally of the season.
Seyfert gave the Steel the lead back with his sixth marker on the campaign. From the left circle, the Merrimack College commit initially deflected a shot from Mastrosimone on net. Patera gave up a rebound and Seyfert was able to lift the puck over the goaltender and across the line.
Mastrosimone gave Chicago a two-goal lead just over five minutes later. The Boston University commit picked up the puck in neutral ice and carried it into RoughRiders territory on a breakaway, slipping the puck past Patera with a backhanded shot.
Cedar Rapids controlled the middle frame, scoring all four goals of the second period. Marek Valach scored a power play goal from the left circle at 2:53, then T.J. Walsh tied the game, 3-3, less than two minutes later, with an immediate shot following a left circle faceoff. Valach then recorded another power play goal at 7:34, this time during 5-on-3 play, to record his ninth power play marker of the season, and giving the RoughRiders the lead for the first time. RoughRiders captain Marc McLaughlin scored from the bottom of the right circle at 13:01 to extend the visitors' lead to 5-3.
Early in the third period, Chicago got back within a goal when C.J. Walker scored on a rebound at 1:50. Daschke then tied the game with his fourth goal of the season at 11:35, as the Steel captain switched from forehand to backhand and slid the puck five-hole on Patera.
The teams headed to overtime for a second consecutive meeting, and, as they did on Dec. 27, the Steel came out on top. Abruzzese drove down the ice and cut to the front of the net, knocking the puck past Patera before crashing into the net, snapping a three-game skid for Chicago.
Abruzzese's five goals on the season have all been scored over the course of the last four home games. Oskar Autio stopped all 10 shots faced in a relief victory.
The Steel visit the Madison Capitols at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. Steel games are carried live on Mixlr (free audio) and HockeyTV (iPPV). For more information, visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com/broadcast.
Chicago completes the three-game weekend Sunday, Jan. 14 on Daddy Daughter Princess Day against the Sioux City Musketeers. The Steel Family Sunday game will feature an appearance by the Island Princess, Moana. Puck drop is set for 3:05 p.m. The Steel Family Pack is available if purchased in advance of the day of the game - purchase four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and four chuck-a-pucks starting at just $48. The game is a rematch of the 2017 Clark Cup Final. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 855-51-STEEL, stop by the Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
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[ClarkCup_Champion_Chicago_2017]
Rob Sanderson Broadcaster and Media Relations Coordinator Chicago Steel 2016-2017 Clark Cup Champions D 630-517-2962 Tix 855-51-STEEL rsanderson@chicagosteelhockeyteam.com
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January 12, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GENEVA, ILLINOIS - Nick Abruzzese completed a three-point night, converting an end-to-end rush and jamming in the overtime winner, as the Chicago Steel (14-10-1-2, 31 pts.) rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (12-11-4-1, 29 pts.) Friday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Four Steel skaters tallied multiple points on the night: Abruzzese (2+1), Derek Daschke (1+1), Jordan Seyfert (1+1) and Robert Mastrosimone (1+1).
Abruzzese opened the scoring just 2:01 into the game, as the University of Vermont commit snapped a shot from the left circle past RoughRiders netminder Jiri Patera.
Cedar Rapids forward Liam Walsh tied the game at the 6:39 mark, firing a top-shelf shot from the high slot for his fourth tally of the season.
Seyfert gave the Steel the lead back with his sixth marker on the campaign. From the left circle, the Merrimack College commit initially deflected a shot from Mastrosimone on net. Patera gave up a rebound and Seyfert was able to lift the puck over the goaltender and across the line.
Mastrosimone gave Chicago a two-goal lead just over five minutes later. The Boston University commit picked up the puck in neutral ice and carried it into RoughRiders territory on a breakaway, slipping the puck past Patera with a backhanded shot.
Cedar Rapids controlled the middle frame, scoring all four goals of the second period. Marek Valach scored a power play goal from the left circle at 2:53, then T.J. Walsh tied the game, 3-3, less than two minutes later, with an immediate shot following a left circle faceoff. Valach then recorded another power play goal at 7:34, this time during 5-on-3 play, to record his ninth power play marker of the season, and giving the RoughRiders the lead for the first time. RoughRiders captain Marc McLaughlin scored from the bottom of the right circle at 13:01 to extend the visitors' lead to 5-3.
Early in the third period, Chicago got back within a goal when C.J. Walker scored on a rebound at 1:50. Daschke then tied the game with his fourth goal of the season at 11:35, as the Steel captain switched from forehand to backhand and slid the puck five-hole on Patera.
The teams headed to overtime for a second consecutive meeting, and, as they did on Dec. 27, the Steel came out on top. Abruzzese drove down the ice and cut to the front of the net, knocking the puck past Patera before crashing into the net, snapping a three-game skid for Chicago.
Abruzzese's five goals on the season have all been scored over the course of the last four home games. Oskar Autio stopped all 10 shots faced in a relief victory.
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