Steel Face Demanding Test with Three Road Games this Weekend
Published on October 27, 2021 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - After matching the franchise record for longest point streak to start a season at 10 games without a regulation loss, the Chicago Steel (7-0-2-1; 17 pts.) is set to face its toughest test to date with three road games over three days this weekend, with two games against Team USA (U18) and one against the Youngstown Phantoms.
Chicago earned three out of four possible points last weekend with a 2-1 overtime loss on the road against the Green Bay Gamblers on Oct. 22 and a 3-2 victory in a shootout on home ice against the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Oct. 23. The Steel currently sit in first place in the Eastern Conference in the early going of the 2021-2022 season.
Steel goaltenders headlined the weekend with Gibson Homer making 30 saves in the overtime loss against the Gamblers and Nick Haas turning away 32 shots in the shootout win over Dubuque.
Homer, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native, has registered three outings with 30 or more saves and has allowed two or fewer goals in three of his five starts. The 6-foot-5, 209-pound goaltender was rated as a 'C' level prospect by NHL Central Scouting in the preliminary watch list for the 2022 NHL Draft.
Haas, committed to Colgate University, made a season-best 32 saves against the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Oct. 23 to lead Chicago to a 3-2 shootout win. The Buffalo, N.Y., native ranks second among USHL goaltenders with at least five starts with a 1.96 goals-against average and has won each of his five starts to begin his second season with the Steel.
The Team USA U18 club has garnered worldwide attention with five 'A'-rated prospects on the preliminary NHL Central Scouting list among 20 total players listed from the team. Forwards Logan Cooley (2G, 3A), Frank Nazar (3G, 1A) and Isaac Howard (1G, 3A), three of the five 'A'-rated skaters, lead the team in scoring early in the season. Last year, Cooley racked up five goals and three helpers over six games facing off against the Steel.
Like the Steel, the U18 team is also undefeated in regulation this season in league play, albeit with a much smaller sample having only played three USHL games this season, defeating Sioux City and Muskegon in regulation and suffering an overtime loss to Fargo.
The two-game set against Team USA (U18) consists of matchups on Friday, Oct. 29 and Saturday, Oct. 30 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., with both games set to start at 6:05 pm CT.
The Youngstown Phantoms underwent major changes during the 2021 offseason with the addition of co-general managers and vice presidents of hockey operations Jason Deskins and Ryan Kosecki as well of the additions of assistant coaches Andy Contois and Brandon Gotkin joining head coach Brad Patterson who is now in his sixth season as head coach of the Phantoms.
Youngstown has posted a 2-5-0-1 record (5 pts.) through eight games and enters the weekend on a four-game winless slide. The Phantoms and Steel drop the puck on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 3:05 pm CT.
Sunday's game will mark the return to Youngstown for Steel defenseman Austen May who played a combined 68 games for the Phantoms during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons.
The next chance for Steel fans to see Chicago on home ice is a two-game weekend on Friday, Nov. 5 against the Green Bay Gamblers with Hockey is for Everyone Night and Saturday, Nov 6 versus the Dubuque Fighting Saints for Top Gun Night with Aviator Sunglasses Giveaway for the first 500 fans to enter the gates at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Following the Saturday night showdown, fans are invited onto the ice for a post-game skate. Both games are set for 7:05 pm CT start time.
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.
Chicago Steel Upcoming Home Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, November 5 vs. Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT) Hockey is for Everyone
Saturday, November 6 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints (7:05 pm CT) Top Gun Night | GIVEAWAY - Steel Aviator Sunglasses (First 500 fans) | Post-Game Skate
Saturday, November 13 vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (7:05 pm CT) Superheroes and Villains | Family Pack Night
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 27, 2021
- Pabich, Finley Make Collegiate Commitments - Madison Capitols
- Lumberjacks Clash with Dubuque in Weekend Home Series - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Muskegon Acquires Parker Lindauer from Tri-City in Exchange for Draft Picks - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Storm Complete Transaction with Lumberjacks - Tri-City Storm
- Steel Face Demanding Test with Three Road Games this Weekend - Chicago Steel
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