Steel Advance to First Clark Cup Final in Team History
May 6, 2017 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
STEEL ADVANCE TO FIRST CLARK CUP FINAL IN TEAM HISTORY Chicago defeats Dubuque 7-3 Saturday to win Conference Final series 3 games to 1
DUBUQUE, IOWA - The Chicago Steel are Eastern Conference Champions and have advanced to the Clark Cup Final for the first time in team history following a 7-3 win over the Dubuque Fighting Saints Saturday night at Mystique Community Ice Center. With the Game 4 victory, the Steel closed out the Eastern Conference Final three games to one.
Eduards Tralmaks registered two goals for the Steel, and Jack Badini and Mitch Lewandowski each had three assists in the clincher.
After a dramatic come-from-behind win in Game 3, the Steel took control of Game 4 with a pair of goals in the opening frame. Tralmaks opened the scoring for the Steel after finding his own rebound in front and sending the puck to the back of the net at 9:53. It was the first goal of the series scored in the first period.
The Steel struck again 1:18 later with a shorthanded goal when Badini found the puck and raced down the center of the ice on a breakaway, beating Dubuque goalie Jaxon Castor down low, giving the Steel a 2-0 lead and extending his point streak to eight games.
Dubuque pulled within one on a Dallas Gerads goal just over five minutes into the second period. But a Fighting Saints penalty moments later put the Steel on the power play. Five seconds into the man advantage, Reggie Lutz blasted a shot from the left point past Castor to put Chicago back in front by two.
After a Michael Boyle goal again cut the lead to one, Baker Shore and Brannon McManus scored back-to-back goals within a one-minute span and Chicago took a 5-2 lead into the second intermission.
Early in the third period, Tralmaks added his second goal of the game, a highlight-reel tally as he stickhandled through the slot past two defenders and snuck the puck through the legs of Castor for Chicago's sixth goal of the night. After a Dubuque power play tally, Jake Jaremko's empty net goal sealed the victory for the Steel.
Steel goaltender Ales Stezka stopped 28 of 31 shots in his sixth win of the postseason. Badini now leads the USHL in playoff points with 13. Chicago will have to wait until Tuesday night to find out their Clark Cup Final opponent. Sioux City and Waterloo will play the deciding Game 5 of the Western Conference Final in Sioux City. The winner will host Chicago in Games 1 and 2 on Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13. The Steel will host Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) of the best-of-five Clark Cup Final on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. and tickets are on sale now. All Steel games are broadcast live on HockeyTV (video) and mixlr.com/chicago-steel (free audio). For 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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United States Hockey League Stories from May 6, 2017
- Steel Advance to First Clark Cup Final in Team History - Chicago Steel
- Chicago Steel Advance to Clark Cup Final - Chicago Steel
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