Steel Drop Tight 4-3 Matchup to Fighting Saints
USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Drop Tight 4-3 Matchup to Fighting Saints

Published on October 10, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, IL - Despite scoring a pair of goals in the third period, the Chicago Steel (4-2-0-0, 8 pts.) fell to the Dubuque Fighting Saints (6-0-0-0, 12 pts.) 4-3 in a bruising battle at Fox Valley Ice Arena Friday night.

Jason Millett scored his first USHL goal early in the first period to open the scoring. Timo Kazda scored his fourth goal of the year and Easton Pace tallied his second score of the year.

Goaltender Louis-Felix Charrois stopped 23 of 26 shots, including several breakaway opportunities in the loss.

Chicago outshot Dubuque 14-4 in the third period and scored two goals. Dubuque had only allowed three goals in the third period all season entering Friday's game.

For the third time in six games this season, Chicago scored the game's first goal after capitalizing on a Dubuque turnover. Jackson Crowder collected the loose puck and fired a pass to Millett, who slid a shot through the five-hole of Fighting Saints goaltender Vojtech Hambalek to put the Steel ahead 1-0.

Later in the opening period, Dubuque turned the tables and cashed in on a turnover by the Steel when Cooper Conway lobbed a centering pass to Masun Fleece to tie the score at one.

Kolin Sisson nearly put the Steel back on top after the goal on a breakaway chance but was stopped by Hambalek who made a great glove snare.

The Steel laid heavy pressure late in the first period and had an offensive zone draw with just over one second left. Chicago got a shot away that beat Hambalek for what appeared to be a good goal, but the officials declared no goal.

Dubuque outshot the Steel 12-7 in the opening 20 minutes.

Just before the halfway point in the middle frame, Crowder made a strong play to speed past the Dubuque defense and cut to the net but was stopped by Hambalek.

At 11:16, Dubuque leading scorer Charlie Arend converted on a wacky bounce in the slot to put the Fighting Saints ahead 2-1.

Charrois continued to work in the blue paint to keep Chicago in the fight, including a big stop with the left pad on a rebound in the crease minutes later.

A full-team scrum ensued with five minutes left in the second period to give Dubuque its second power play of the night.

With ten seconds to spare on the advantage, Hayden Russell scored a power play goal on a play in the crease to give the road team a 3-1 lead.

The Steel had their chance on the power play later in the period, but Dubuque created a shorthanded break after Crowder was stripped. Charrois met the rush with a superb save to keep it a two-goal deficit.

Chicago opened the third period with a mini breakaway from Aidan Dyer on the right wing which was stopped with a blocker save by the Fighting Saints goalie.

The Fighting Saints pushed back with a one-timer off the junction of the net and a two-on-none chance on the heels of a broken play in the early stages.

At the halfway mark of the third, Fleece bounded in on a breakaway and had the puck tumble at the last second while Charrois made the stop.

Just after the big save, Kazda got the Steel within one on a fancy play off an offensive zone faceoff, collecting a loose puck and sending it through to make it 3-2.

Charrois again stood tall moments later with another stop on a breakaway, this time a shorthanded look, against Arend.

Chicago emptied its net with under three minutes left and sustained good pressure, but Teo Besnier lobbed the puck down the ice and in to give Dubuque a 4-2 lead.

The Steel didn't go down easily as Pace scored on a rebound with under two minutes left, but the team couldn't find the equalizer.

The Steel will travel to Dubuque to take on the Fighting Saints on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7:05 pm CT.

The next home game for Chicago is Saturday, October 18 at 6:05 pm CT when they host the Madison Capitols for Rock & Roll Night. The first 500 fans will receive a Fox Valley Farewell Tour-themed Guitar Pick.

Single-game, group, and premium seating tickets for the 2025-2026 season are also on sale now.

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 October 10, 2025


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