Chicago Travels to Youngstown to Face Phantoms

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USHL Chicago Steel

Chicago Travels to Youngstown to Face Phantoms

April 2, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - With the calendar turning to the month of April, the Chicago Steel have four games left in the season with the first three road games that begin this weekend against the Youngstown Phantoms on Saturday, April 5 at 5:05 pm CT and Sunday, April 6 at 3:05 pm CT.

Chicago will wrap up the 2025-2026 season next weekend with a home-and-home series against the Muskegon Lumberjacks, with the final Steel home game set for Saturday, April 12 at 6:05 pm CT on Fan Appreciation Night. Fans will have the opportunity to win hundreds of prizes from team partners and can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $3 beer specials.

The Steel (19-33-5-1, 44 pts.) were swept last weekend by the Sioux City Musketeers despite leading in both games. Chicago led 3-1 on March 29 before Sioux City scored four unanswered goals to close out a 5-3 win. The Steel opened the following game with two goals to take a lead to the second period, but Sioux City replicated its performance from the night prior and scored three goals each in the second and third periods in a 6-2 victory.

Cam Briere scored in both games last weekend for Chicago to extend his goal streak to six games. The goal streak is tied for the longest in the USHL this season, the last coming earlier in the season in November (Artemi Nizameyev, Tri-City). Briere has scored eight goals during his streak and has ten points total (8G-2A) in the same span. He is tied for second on the team in goals (17) and is seventh in points (26) despite only appearing in 34 games this season. In 17 games with the Steel this season, he has 15 points (10G-5A) along with two game-winning goals and four power play goals.

The only other Steel player to score a goal alongside Briere last weekend was Jackson Crowder, who tallied his ninth and tenth goals of the season against his former team to extend his point streak to three games. He has scored two goals and three assists during his current streak.

Also extending a streak last weekend was Ashton Schultz, who posted an assist in each game to move his assist streak to five games, the longest active assist streak in the league. He has recorded six points during his streak (1G-5A) and has registered a point in six of his last seven games (2G-5A).

Adam Valentini was held off the scoresheet on March 30, ending an eight-game point streak, which was the longest active streak in the USHL at the time. Valentini recorded eight points (3G-5A) during his streak. Valentini's strong stretch of play has catapulted him to a tie for the team lead in points (38) and he is second in goals (17). He ranks fourth among USHL rookies in goals and fifth in points.

Junior Podein and Nathan Chorlton, who were selected in the 2022 and 2024 USHL Phase I drafts respectively, both made their USHL debuts last weekend.

The Youngstown Phantoms (38-18-0-1, 77 pts.) swept their two-game home set against the Fargo Force last weekend, coasting to a 6-1 win on March 28 and squeezing out a 5-3 victory the following night. Michael Mesic scored twice in the Phantoms' win on March 28 and Jamison Sluys posted three assists. Goaltender Melvin Strahl stopped 26 of 27 shots. Mesic stayed hot on March 29 with a hat trick in a game that featured six first period goals between the two teams. Goaltender Owen Lepak relieved Strahl early in the first period and stopped all 21 shots he faced in the win.

Rookie forward Adam Benak leads the Phantoms in points with 54 and is tied for the team-lead in assists with 38. He ranks second among league rookies in points and first in assists. He has tallied the most power play assists of any rookie skater in the league (16) and has the most power play points (22). He strung together the league's longest point streak of the season from November 8 to December 13, a 13-game stretch during which he posted 16 points (6G-10A).

Mesic enters the weekend with a three-game point streak (5G-1A) and has found the scoresheet in seven of his last nine games (9G-5A). He ranks third for Youngstown in points (48) and leads the team in goals (22). His +21 rating is third on the team and his three game-winning goals are also third.

Strahl has been one of the strongest netminders in the league this season and has helped the Phantoms to the second-best goals against average in the league (2.74). The first-year Phantom has not lost consecutive starts since December and has recorded a win in five of his last six starts while allowing three goals or fewer in each. He ranks third among USHL goaltenders in goals against average (2.48) and has the most wins of any goalie (30). His 2,468 minutes are the second-most played in the league.

The Steel are 51-45-7-5 all-time against Youngstown and 26-19-4-3 on the road. The Phantoms secured a pair of extra-time victories in Geneva the last time against the Steel, with a 3-2 overtime victory on Feb. 15 and a 2-1 shootout win on Feb. 16. The Feb. 15 matchup was a goaltending dual, with Strahl stopping 31 of 33 shots and Steel goalie Louka Cloutier recording 44 saves on 47 shots. Strahl appeared again the following game and stopped 19 of 20 as the Phantoms won in the fourth round of the shootout. This weekend's matchups are the final games between the two this season.

All Steel tickets are digital, and fans are encouraged to purchase online in advance at ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

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:

Saturday, April 5 at Youngstown Phantoms | 5:05 pm CT

Sunday, April 6 at Youngstown Phantoms | 3:05 pm CT

Friday, April 11 at Muskegon Lumberjacks | 6:10 pm CT

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