Playoff-Bound Steel Close Regular Season with Shootout Win
April 9, 2017 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
MADISON, WISCONSIN - Ales Stezka denied all 10 Madison shooters, and Aleksi Halme scored a five-hole goal in the 10th round, as the Chicago Steel (38-17-2-3, 81 pts.) closed their best regular season in team history with a 4-3 win via shootout over the Madison Capitols (23-32-1-4, 51 pts.) Saturday at Alliant Energy Center.
The 38 wins and 81 points are new Steel all-time single-season records, beating the previous-best marks from the 2003-2004 season (34-22-0-1, 72 pts.).
Madison opened the scoring in the first period when Anthony Callin tipped a point shot from Casey Fitzjerrells past Chicago goaltender Dayton Rasmussen at 12:58. The Capitols' 1-0 lead would last a mere 13 seconds, as on the ensuing faceoff, Steel winger Austen Long connected a pass to Tyler Gratton, who tallied his second goal in as many nights to even the score, 1-1.
The Steel grabbed their first lead of the game at 15:25. A tic-tac-toe passing play saw the puck travel from Johnny Walker to Halme, then Jason O'Neill, who directed a shot from down low past Madison netminder Daniel Lebedeff. Chicago carried its 2-1 lead into the first intermission, outshooting the Capitols, 10-7.
Stezka took over for Rasmussen between the pipes to start the second period. The Steel jumped out to a two-goal lead thanks to Eduards Tralmaks' 11th goal of the season. The tally was assisted by Mitch Lewandowski at 14:40. Chicago outshot Madison, 15-9, in the second period.
The Capitols came back to tie the game in the third period. Madison's Vincent de Mey tipped Jeffrey Losurdo's shot past Stezka at 1:57, then Losurdo evened the score, 3-3, with a five-hole goal from the top of the crease at 16:31 to force overtime.
The Steel committed two penalties in overtime but Madison was unable to convert on the power play.
Halme was the only one of 20 total shooters to score in the shootout, sending the Steel to victory. Stezka's 10-for-10 performance in net during the shootout helped the Minnesota Wild prospect record his 21st victory of the season, second-most all-time in a single season among Steel netminders (22: Alex Sakellaropoulos, 2012-2013). Corson Green added two assists for Chicago.
The Steel now begin their first appearance in the Clark Cup Playoffs since the 2007-2008 season with an Eastern Conference Semifinals best-of-five series against the Youngstown Phantoms. Chicago, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, will host Game 1 on Friday, April 14, followed by Game 2 on Saturday, April 15. Both games are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT, and the first 500 fans in attendance at each game will receive a Steel Team Photo.
The series then shifts to Youngstown, Ohio, for Game 3, and if necessary, Game 4, with dates and times to-be-announced. If the series needs a Game 5, the series will move back to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Tuesday, April 25. The full playoff schedule will be released by the USHL on Monday. For Steel tickets or more information, call 855-51-STEEL, stop by the Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
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