Chicago Wins Fourth Straight with Gutsy Overtime Win
Published on November 18, 2023 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, IL - Charlie Major scored an overtime game-winner and the Chicago Steel (5-8-1-1, 12 pts.) won 2-1 in the extra frame to topple the Youngstown Phantoms (11-4-2-0, 12 pts.) at Fox Valley Ice Arena on Saturday night.
Michael Hage had the lone Chicago goal after 60 minutes of play before Major scored at 1:15 of overtime to secure the fourth straight win for the Steel.
Steel goaltender Louka Cloutier received the start, his fifth of the year, and put forth a dazzling effort with 36 saves on 37 shots to notch his first win of the season.
Chicago went shorthanded :24 into the game after a trip was called, but the Steel penalty kill was quick to the puck and staved off an early Phantoms push.
Five minutes later, the Steel saw an advantage of their own, but another penalty cut the power play short.
Just before the halfway mark, a point shot from Sascha Boumedienne snuck through traffic and made it on net. The Phantoms thought it was a goal as Cloutier fell backward into the net, but the officials said otherwise, and a brief video review upheld the call on the ice.
Seconds later, Youngstown got its best chance of the period while on its third power play of the night,. After a hard one-timer trampolined off the left pad of Cloutier, a big rebound found its way to Daniel Jencko who had an open look, but Cloutier made a sprawling stop to keep things scoreless.
Later in the period, the Steel pushed back after Hage cut to the net and dished a pass to Joey DelGreco at the near post, but a pair of big left pad stops from Colin Winn turned away the dynamic duo.
Youngstown outshot the Steel in the first period 15-4.
The Steel flipped the script in the second frame and :30 into the period got a wide-open look from Major that was shut down by Winn with the glove.
Cloutier continued to see a plethora of Phantoms shots, including a difficult one that forced the rookie goaltender to make a tough blocker save.
Seven minutes in, a great display of keep-away by Ben Yurchuk drew a Phantoms penalty. Chicago kept the puck in the attacking end where Hage circled around at the top of the zone and sent a wrister past Winn to open the scoring.
Yurchuk had the lone assist on Hage's sixth goal of the year.
The Steel made one final push in the last seconds of the period and nearly got another goal, but Winn made a stop while on his belly.
It appeared the Steel may have jumped out to a two-goal lead in the third period after DelGreco batted the puck into Winn's glove that looked to be over the goal line, but the officials immediately called no goal and upheld the call following a short discussion.
After being held off the scoreboard for two and a half periods, the Phantoms got on the board following a Steel turnover in their own end.
Youngstown put together a handful of great passes around the Steel defense before Jencko pulled the trigger and scored his first goal of the season.
Back-and-forth action spanned the remainder of the third, and for the fourth straight home game, the contest went to overtime.
Youngstown won the opening draw to start with possession in overtime but never got a shot away as the Steel stayed tight on defense and got the puck.
Following a few roundabouts in neutral ice, Major circled back up ice and hit the gas, speeding between the Youngstown defense to break in on Winn before sending home the overtime winner with a gorgeous backhand goal.
Major's seventh goal notched the fourth consecutive Steel win and solidified the fifth straight game Chicago has recorded a point.
The Steel will round out the weekend at home against Youngstown on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 3:05 pm CT for Trolls Day with a special guest appearance from Poppy. Sunday is the first Steel Family Pack Game of the season, where fans can get four tickets, hot dogs, chips, sodas/waters and chuck-a-pucks for just $60.
Single game 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.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Sunday, November 19 vs. Youngstown Phantoms (7:05 pm CT) | Trolls Day | Steel Family Pack Game
Friday, November 24 at Fargo Force (7:05 pm CT)
Saturday, November 25 at Fargo Force (6:05 pm CT)
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