USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Beat Muskegon 6-4, Win Third Straight Game

Published on December 11, 2021 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel (17-4-4-0; 38 pts.) cooled off the red hot Muskegon Lumberjacks (12-9-1-2; 25 pts.) with a 6-4 victory on home ice Saturday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena, the third consecutive win for the Steel.

Steel rookie forwards Evan Hunter and Mick Thompson scored their first career USHL goals and Joe Miller, Sam Lipkin, Jake Livanavage and Luke Levandowski picked up markers in the victory.

Steel netminder Christian Manz extended his record to 4-0-0-0 between the Steel pipes with a 31-save performance.

Coming into the game, the Lumberjacks had been winners in nine of their last 10 contests but the Steel were able to jump ahead early with a pair of goals in less than three minutes of game action.

Joe Miller extended his point streak to 12 games with the night's first goal, capitalizing on excellent puck movement from linemates Adam Fantilli and Jayden Perron. After an outstanding cross ice pass from Perron to the mouth of the Muskegon crease, Miller had only to tap in the puck for a 1-0 Steel lead.

Evan Hunter fought off a Muskegon defender in the slot just over a minute later, gathering the puck with enough strength to get off a wrist shot from the edge of the right circle that beat Muskegon netminder Platon Zadorozhnyy high on his blocker side.

The marker was Hunter's first in the United States Hockey League.

After the solid offensive start, Manz provided a steady backstop in a highlight-reel sequence early in the middle frame. With Muskegon providing consistent pressure, Manz flashed from left to right, denying Jake Richard with a doorstep backhand attempt before kicking out a snap shot attempt from Noah Ellis.

The back-to-back stops kept the score 2-0 until Nathan McBrayer came up with a rebound chance to get the visitors on the scoreboard. After the Lumberjacks won a board battle in the left corner of their offensive zone, McBrayer parked himself in front of Manz to tuck home his first goal of the year.

Chicago co-captain Sam Lipkin showed off his strength just two minutes later, re-capturing the momentum for Chicago. With a defender on his back, Lipkin powered his way to the net with a forehand-backhand move to beat Zadorozhnyy for his 16th goal of the year, the third-most in the USHL.

The Lumberjacks were able to fight back, sandwiching goals into a span of just over four minutes of game action in the late second and early third periods.

After being denied by Manz earlier in the period, Richard scored his first goal of the season to cut the Chicago lead to 3-2.

Philip Tresca then tied the game less than a minute into the final frame on a quick trigger thanks to a feed from Lumberjacks captain Jack Williams.

With the score tied at 3-3, an unlikely hero emerged for the Steel.

Rookie Mick Thompson, entering the game with one assist through 12 games played this season, worked his way to the front of the Muskegon net. Thompson got his stick on a point shot from Lukas Gustafsson, one of Gustafsson's three assists on the night, re-directing the puck home for his first career USHL goal.

As the period progressed, Jake Livanavage was the beneficiary of more exquisite puck movement in the offensive zone, this time on a power play. Luke Levandowski and Gustafsson teamed up with tic-tac-toe passing to Livanavage's stick blade at the left corner of the Muskegon cage.

With a two-goal edge, the Lumberjacks got back into the game with a power play marker from Ben Strinden with just over two minutes to play in regulation.

After Zadorozhnyy exited the ice for an extra attacker, the Steel possessed the puck in the offensive zone, trying to find the empty cage. After a puck ricochetted off multiple players in the slot, Levandowski jumped on a loose puck to score the empty netter, sealing the 6-4 victory on home ice.

The win was the third in a row for Chicago which now has a 9-1-1-0 record at Fox Valley Ice Arena this season.

After a road matchup against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders on Friday, December 17 at 7:05 pm CT at ImOn Ice Arena in Iowa, the Steel begin a stretch of three consecutive home games.

The Steel face off against the RoughRiders on Saturday, December 18 at Fox Valley Ice Arena with a 7:05 pm CT start time for Scooby-Doo Night and a Steel Family Pack Game, a special ticket deal with 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 chips, 4 sodas/waters and 4 chuck-a-pucks for just $50.

Chicago will then host games against Madison on December 30 and January 2.

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 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 Giveaway (first 500 fans)

Sunday, January 2 vs. Madison Capitols (3:05 pm CT) Family Pack Game

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2021


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