2000s Night, Poster Giveaway and Post-Game Skate Highlight Home-And-Home Weekend
October 30, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel will continue a season-long celebration of their 25th season when they host the Green Bay Gamblers this Saturday, November 2 at 7:05 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Following a split series last weekend in Muskegon, the Steel will return to familiar territory and play their first games of the season against Green Bay, beginning with a road matchup on Friday, November 1 at 7:05 pm. The two teams met in the First Round of last year's Clark Cup Playoffs with Green Bay prevailing in Game 3 of the third and deciding game, ending Chicago's season.
The Steel will return to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:05 pm CT to host 2000s Night where the first 500 fans will receive a limited edition 25th Season Poster, and all fans are invited to stay after the game for a Post-Game Skate with the Steel.
The poster features names of Steel players spanning 25 seasons of Steel hockey and promotions on Saturday night will flash back to the 2000s, with "Y2K Jargon" where contestants must decipher 2000s acronyms, "2000s TV Trivia," and a "Guitar Hero Cam."
After the game, fans will be invited onto the ice to Skate with the Steel and receive autographs from players. Skates may be brought to the game or will be available to rent for $4.
This weekend is the first set of games between the Steel (5-8-0-0, 10 pts.) and the Gamblers (4-5-1-0, 9 pts.) since last season's playoffs.
Last weekend, the Steel got back on track with their first win in five games in a valorous 5-4 victory over Muskegon on Oct. 25. Five Steel skaters scored a goal in the victory, with Luke Goukler earning the game-winning goal with a breakaway score in the third period and goaltender Louka Cloutier stopping 36 shots.
Muskegon turned the tables the following night, limiting the Steel to just one goal in a 4-1 win, their first in four games against the Steel this season. Teddy Mutryn recorded the only goal for Chicago in the loss, and Jack Parsons stopped 34 shots.
Boston College commit Teddy Mutryn was in the spotlight in numerous ways last week. On top of his power play goal on Oct. 26, Mutryn was one of four current Steel players highlighted on the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List of Players to Watch ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. Other Steel players included on the list are forwards Ashton Schultz and Will Tomko, as well as goaltender Jack Parsons.
Mutryn has recorded three goals and an assist in the last three games, with 11 shots on goal and a +2 rating in that span. The seventeen-year-old has recorded at least one shot on goal in all but two games this season and is one of five Steel skaters with a power play goal.
Also surging is forward Luke Goukler, who posted a goal and an assist on Oct. 25. In the last four games, the Merrimack commit has scored twice and has recorded two assists while racking up nine shots on goal. All six of Goukler's points (3G-3A) have come in the last seven games.
Chicago will be without forward Adam Valentini and defenseman Callum Croskery this weekend who will be playing for Team Canada at the 2024 U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ontario. Valentini is tied for third on the team in points with six (3G-3A) in 12 games, while Croskery is tied for second among Steel defensemen in points with three, all assists.
After struggling early this season, the Steel have seemingly found their footing with their power play unit, having scored a power play goal in four consecutive games.
Green Bay owns the league's third-worst penalty kill in the league at 76.5%. It has allowed four power play goals in the last five games, though it has limited opponents to just two goals in that same span.
The Gamblers hosted Madison for a single game last weekend, a low-scoring affair that saw the Capitols take home a 2-1 victory to hand Green Bay its second consecutive loss. All three goals scored were on the power play. The Gamblers had won three of their prior four games.
Michigan commit Aidan Park scored the series-clinching goal for the Gamblers in overtime in Game 3 of last year's First Round playoff series between Green Bay and Chicago. This season, Park has scored a team-leading seven points with five goals and two assists in ten games and has scored three power play goals, which leads the team along with a power play assist. The veteran has scored on an impressive 27.8% of his shots, a percentage that ranks inside the league's top 15 and is over four points better than the next-best Gambler.
The Gamblers lost their top six scorers from last season, with forward Lev Katzin the top-scoring returner. A Penn State commit, Katzin ranked seventh in scoring for the Gamblers last season with 33 points (10G-23A) in 57 games. In eight games this season, he has tallied two goals and six assists and has racked up 29 penalty minutes. Katzin leads the USHL in minor penalties (8) and has been penalized in three consecutive home games while accumulating eight penalty minutes in that span.
The Gamblers had a sizable role to fill in the goal crease entering this season following the departure of Chicago Blackhawks prospect Adam Gajan who served as the lead netminder for Green Bay last season. Rookie Gavin Moffatt started and won the must-win Game 3 against the Steel in last year's playoffs, stopping 29 of 31 shots. Now in the spotlight for Green Bay, the second-year netminder has put up league-leading numbers among goaltenders this season. He has played the second-most minutes in the league, is tied for the league lead in shutouts (2), has the third-best save percentage at .933, and has the second-best goals-against average at 1.90.
Moffatt also ranks second among USHL netminders in saves with 223 on the season, only behind Steel goaltender Jack Parsons, who has stopped 245 shots this year. The other part of the Steel goaltending duo, Louka Cloutier, ranks fourth in that same category with 195 saves.
The Steel are 78-69-6-4 all-time against Green Bay, 35-35-5-1 on the road and 44-34-1-3 at home. Chicago finished 6-2-0-1 against Green Bay last season in a season series that saw six of nine games reach at least overtime. The Gamblers earned the first extra-time victory in a shootout, while the Steel swept the remainder with four overtime winners and one shootout triumph. This season features another heavy dosage of games between Green Bay and Chicago, with this weekend the first and second of nine total games between the two this year. The next matchup will be during Thanksgiving week, a contest in Green Bay on Nov. 27.
Tickets are on sale now starting at just $10. All Steel tickets are digital, and fans are encouraged to purchase online in advance at ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Season ticket plans are on sale now, starting at just 5 games for $50. Season ticket plans are built on flexibility as fans have the option of choosing their own games throughout the season with multiple benefits including season ticket gifts and special events.
Group tickets and experiences, suites and other premium areas, including the Coors Light Chill Zone and Ice Side Tables, are also on sale now.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL .
Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, November 1 at Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT)
Saturday, November 2 vs. Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT) | 2000s Night with 25th Season Poster Giveaway (first 500 fans) | Post-Game Skate with the Steel
Friday, November 8 at Youngstown Phantoms (6:05 pm CT)
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