Dubuque Tops Steel 7-3 Friday Night
December 4, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel (14-4-4-0; 32 pts.) suffered their first home ice regulation loss of the season, 7-3 against the Dubuque Fighting Saints (10-4-2-2; 24 pts.) on Friday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Dubuque rode a five-point night (3G, 2A) from forward Stephen Halliday to defeat the Steel despite Chicago cutting a 4-1 deficit to a 4-3 margin early in the third before the Fighting Saints pulled away.
Chicago forwards Joe Miller, Jayden Perron, and Jackson Blake extended their point streaks in the loss.
The Fighting Saints struck first with a quick trigger from Nikita Borodayenko. The Russian forward fired a one-timer from the right circle after a takeaway by Stephen Halliday below the Steel end line. The assist extended Halliday's streak to four consecutive games against the Steel with at least a point.
Chicago's third-ranked power play evened the odds with a game-tying goal halfway through the first period. After Jackson Blake worked the puck around the perimeter to Jake Livanavage on the right-wing boards, Livanavage fired a pass looking for the stick of Sam Lipkin. Lipkin connected, tipping his 14th marker of the season past Dubuque netminder Paxton Geisel.
Dubuque wasted little time in regaining the lead, scoring just over three minutes after Lipkin's tally.
Kenny Connors drew Homer out of his net and found a cutting Tristan Lemyre who benefitted from a wide-open cage, reaching double digits with his 10th goal of the season.
Late in the first, Connors nearly got his second point of the night on an almost identical rush from his assist just three minutes prior. This time Connors rocketed a wrister but it rang off the inside of the pipe behind Homer, keeping the score 2-1 in favor of Dubuque.
For the second straight period, the Fighting Saints lit the lamp in the opening minutes of the frame, extending their lead to 3-1 with just over a minute gone in the second. Halliday picked his corner and beat Homer high on his blocker side from point-blank range.
In the Steel offensive zone moments later, a miscommunication on a drop pass led to Dubuque forward Max Montes going end-to-end, extending the lead to 4-1 after he tucked home his fourth of the season.
The Steel were able to flip the script to open the third, tallying a pair of quick-strike goals to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Nick Moldenhauer tucked home his third goal of the year with a diving play early in the third. Joe Miller found Moldenhauer with a cross-ice pass on the right side of the Steel offensive zone.
Moldenhauer let go a wrister just as he left his feet.
Andon Cerbone cut the deficit to one goal just 16 seconds later, bringing the Fox Valley crowd to life. Cerbone, a University of Michigan commit, buried a wrist shot behind Geisel on a 3-on-2 rush thanks to puck movement from Jackson Blake and Jack Harvey.
Halliday spoiled the Steel comeback, however, completing a hat trick on the way to his five-point night.
On his second goal of the game, Halliday was released from the penalty box and was immediately fed for a breakaway.
Halliday made it 6-3 in favor of the Fighting Saints with just under ten minutes to play in regulation, putting the game out of reach.
Mundelein, Ill., native Michael Burchill capped the Fighting Saints scoring with his fourth goal of the season, giving Dubuque its first victory against the Steel in four attempts this season.
Since the 2015-2016 season, the Steel are now 12-5-0-0 on home ice against Dubuque.
The Steel hit the road for their next two contests, a rematch against Dubuque on Saturday, Dec.
4 at Mystique Community Ice Center at 7:05 pm CT and a matchup against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at ImOn Ice Center in Iowa on Friday, Dec. 10 with a 7:05 pm CT puck drop.
The next chance for Steel fans to catch the team on home ice is Saturday, Dec. 11 when the Steel take on the Muskegon Lumberjacks for Winterfest presented by Illinois Aviation Academy with Special Jersey Auction to benefit Cyclones Amateur Hockey Association.
The Steel will be wearing one-of-a-kind red jerseys with white shoulders and a white border on the waist that turns into snowflakes as it raises towards STEEL spelled out of metal plates with a string of Christmas lights intertwined. The game-worn jerseys will be signed by each individual player and awarded to the highest bidder with the online auction running from Thursday, Dec. 9 through Thursday, Dec. 16. After the game, fans are invited for a Post-Game Skate on the Fox Valley Ice Arena ice surface.
Tickets start at just $10 and are available in person at the Steel Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena, by phone at 855-51-STEEL and online at chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. The Steel now offer single-game ticket discounts for kids 12 and under and military.
Steel games may be heard on Mixlr at http://mixlr.com/chicago-steel/ (AUDIO) and video may be streamed on available devices through HockeyTV at www.hockeytv.com (VIDEO).
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Chicago Steel Upcoming Home Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Saturday, December 11 vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (7:05 pm CT) Winterfest presented by Illinois Aviation Academy with Special Jersey Auction to Benefit Cyclones Amateur Hockey Association | Post-Game Skate
Saturday, December 18 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (7:05 pm CT) Scooby-Doo Night | Family Pack Game
Thursday, December 30 vs. Madison Capitols (6:05 pm CT) GIVEAWAY - Steel Lunchbox Cooler
United States Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2021
- Third Period Rally Not Enough to Knock off Sioux City - Omaha Lancers
- Saints Split with Steel Saturday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Steel Pull Away from Dubuque, Earn 6-3 Road Win - Chicago Steel
- Stampede Top Black Hawks to Earn Weekend Split - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Hawks Fall, Dodge Shutout - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Tresca Pots a Hat Trick, Lumberjacks Take Game 2 over Cedar Rapids in 5-2 Win - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Kyle Smolen Reaches 100 Game Milestone - Fargo Force
- 5 Things: Stars Beat Down Sioux City - Lincoln Stars
- Tri-City Seeks Bounce Back Win against Stars - Tri-City Storm
- Barrage of 3rd Period Goals Lifts Caps over U17s in Series Opener - Madison Capitols
- Phantoms Comeback Falls Short in 4-3 Loss to Green Bay - Youngstown Phantoms
- Lancers Take Down Tri-City in a Barn Burner - Omaha Lancers
- Offense Flexes Its Muscle as Saints Take Down Steel - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Dubuque Tops Steel 7-3 Friday Night - Chicago Steel
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