USHL Chicago Steel

Farrell's Hat Trick Powers Steel to 7-4 Win

Published on January 31, 2021 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel (17-6-2-0; 36 pts.) finished their weekend with a 7- 4 victory over the Muskegon Lumberjacks (16-8-1-1; 34 pts.) at Fox Valley Ice Arena on Sunday afternoon, re-claiming sole possession of first place in the USHL standings and Eastern Conference race in the process.

Steel forward Sean Farrell took over the game early, scoring Chicago's first three goals and later added an assist, catapulting him to the top of the USHL scoring list with 46 points (16G, 30A) in 24 games.

The Steel power play enjoyed a 3-for-6 (50.0%) performance while rookie netminder Jack Stark turned away 28 shots to extend his record to 4-0-0-0 between the Steel pipes this season.

Chicago enjoyed its first lead of the three-game weekend series with Muskegon when it struck first on Sunday. After Steel rookie forward Nick Moldenhauer forced heavy pressure on a Chicago forecheck, recently acquired Lumberjacks defenseman Kyle Aucoin took a holding penalty with six minutes left in the first.

On the ensuing power play, Sean Farrell extended his current point streak to 21 games with his 14th goal of the year.

Farrell, the Montreal Canadiens' fourth round selection (#124 Overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, carried the puck towards the slot from the right wing boards and stickhandled closely around his teammate Josh Doan, losing his defender behind the screen. Farrell let go a wrist shot that beat Muskegon netminder Jan Skorpik for the game's first goal.

Just nine seconds into the middle frame, Farrell netted his second goal with another screen from Doan. The Harvard University-bound skater picked up a drop pass from Doan, gathered the puck and ripped home his second of the game. The marker was Farrell's 100th career point in a Steel sweater.

After Dylan Wendt broke through with a power play goal for Muskegon, Chicago went back on the attack.

An errant pass in the Muskegon offensive zone trickled to Doan as he sent Farrell on a breakaway from the red line in. Farrell beat Skorpik for his first hat trick as a member of the Steel.

Doan added his third point of the night on a power play with just over five minutes to play in the middle frame, extending the Chicago lead to 4-1. Ryan Ufko found Doan on the doorstep where he had time to wait out Skorpik and laser home his 15th goal of the season.

Danil Gushchin answered with the first of his two goals for Muskegon, but Steel rookie Adam Fantilli put a halt to the Lumberjacks momentum less than 30 seconds later. Defenseman David Ma found Fantilli cutting to the net on a power play and fed him for Fantilli's fifth goal of the year, a rocket of a wrist shot.

After the goal pushed the Steel lead to 5-2, Muskegon netminder Nate Reid was called on in relief of Skorpik.

The goaltending change didn't alter the Lumberjacks fate as Jack Bar netted the next goal for Chicago, seven minutes into the final frame. unleased a wrist shot from the high slot for his second goal of the year.

Tanner Kelly answered for the Lumberjacks with his 10th goal of the season to cut the Chicago lead to 6-3.

After three power play goals, it was the Steel penalty kill that put the game on ice. A shot from Lumberjacks defenseman Jacob Guevin went wide and Farrell nudged the puck up the boards and out of the zone, sending Steel captain Erik Middendorf in alone on Reid. Middendorf tucked home his 19th of the year, a goal that stretched the Chicago cushion to 7-3.

Gushchin's second of the night with five minutes to play capped the scoring.

The Steel take to the road for a two game series on Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6 against the Green Bay Gamblers at Resch Center in Wisconsin before returning to Fox Valley Ice Arena for a Thursday afternoon matchup against the Des Moines Buccaneers, scheduled for a 3:05 pm CT puck drop on Feb. 11.

Chicago 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).

Chicago Steel Upcoming Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:

Friday, February 5 at Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT)

Saturday, February 6 at Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT)

Thursday, February 11 vs Des Moines Buccaneers (3:05 pm CT) presented by Waubonsee Community College

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

Check out the Chicago Steel Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2021


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