Steel Host Turtle Races and Decades Night this Weekend
Published on November 5, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel return home to start their first three-game weekend, which includes a pair of exciting home promotions as they battle the Omaha Lancers, Turtle Races courtesy of Hickory Knolls Discovery Center on Friday, November 7 at 7:05 pm, and Decades Night presented by Candy Cloud South Elgin on Saturday, November 8 at 7:05 pm. After the two-game home set, the Steel will travel to Muskegon to take on the Lumberjacks on Sunday, November 9 at 2:05 pm CT.
Friday night features the slowest two minutes in sports with the team's annual Turtle Races in partnership with Hickory Knolls Discovery Center. Turtles Sally Jane, Daisy, Samsonite, and Myrtle will race on a table at center ice during the second intermission to compete for the title of top turtle. Turtles start in the middle of the table and crawl to try and become the first to cross the finish line which circles the track.
This is the sixth time the Steel will host the race. Sally Jane won her first championship last year, and Daisy won her first race the season prior in 2023. Myrtle was crowned the winner in 2022, and Samsonite reigns as the only turtle to win consecutive titles after victories in the first two years of the races in 2019 and 2021. Fans will have a chance to meet the turtles in the main lobby before the game and will receive information cards from Hickory Knolls so they can learn about their favorite turtle.
Saturday's theme is Decades Night presented by Candy Cloud South Elgin and is the second music-themed tour stop of Chicago's Fox Valley Farewell Tour this season. Chicago will revisit the last ten years of team history at Fox Valley Ice Arena and highlight team achievements on and off the ice. Each period will feature a different decade of music played in-arena, starting with the 80s, then the 90s, and finishing with the 2000s.
The Fox Valley Farewell Tour is a season-long campaign to celebrate the club's final year of play at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva.
The Steel (8-5-0-0, 16 pts.) earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Youngstown on Oct. 31 after Luke Goukler scored a breakaway goal with under two minutes left in regulation for his second game-winning goal of the season. Henry Major scored his third goal of the season, and Benson Grande scored his first USHL goal for Chicago. Goaltender Louis-Felix Charrois stopped 32 of 34 shots to record his sixth win of the season and fourth consecutive victory.
The following night was a one-sided showing as the Phantoms scored six straight goals in a 6-1 loss. Major scored the only Steel goal in the defeat. Charrois stopped 27 shots in the loss to end his winning streak at four games. Chicago was held without a shot in the second period and was limited to 12 shots on goal, its lowest single-game total this season.
Special teams continued to be a storyline for the Steel, who scored once on the power play on Nov. 1. Chicago has scored a power play goal in six of the last seven games and is operating at a 38% success rate (8-for-21) in that span. They currently boast the sixth-best power play in the USHL.
The Steel's penalty kill has not been as prominent. In that same seven-game span, Chicago has allowed 11 power play goals on 26 opportunities for a 57% penalty kill rate. Chicago allowed two power play goals in the Oct. 31 win but was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill on Nov. 1.
Defenseman Marco Senerchia tallied a point for the fifth consecutive game with an assist on Oct. 31. The Providence commit has provided steady offense for the Steel this season, ranking third in team scoring with nine points (2G-7A). During his active point streak, Senerchia has five points (2G-3A). He has scored a point in nine of 11 games this season and is tied for third in scoring among USHL defensemen.
Fellow blueliner Alex Calbeck has continued to play a part in setting up goals for the Steel. Calbeck recorded an assist on the game-winning goal on Oct. 31 with a perfect stretch pass through neutral ice to spring Goukler. He has recorded six assists in the last six games and is tied with Senerchia for third in league scoring for defensemen with nine points (1G-8A).
Getting ahead early will be a key point of emphasis for the Steel this weekend. They have not lost when leading after one or two periods (4-0-0-0) and they are 5-1-0-0 when scoring the game's first goal.
The Omaha Lancers (4-12-1-0, 9 pts.) played three games last weekend and came away with three points. The Lancers played at Tri-City on Oct. 31 and fell 4-1 after a four-goal second period by the Storm. Omaha returned home the following night to host Lincoln, where they fell 2-1 in overtime. Lincoln scored the game-winner 22 seconds into the extra frame and limited Omaha to 17 shots on goal.
The Lancers got their lone win of the weekend on Nov. 2 in a 3-1 home win over Tri-City. Yegor Kim scored in the first period, followed by empty net goals from George Lovell and Kole Hyles late in the third period. Devin Shakar posted a strong 35-save performance to record his third win of the season.
Shakar appeared in consecutive games last weekend and allowed just three goals on 66 shots over the two games. He has played the fourth-most minutes in the USHL (644) and has made the second-most saves (304). The Boston University commit's first season has seen flashes of greatness, including a 39-save game against Dubuque on Oct. 3. The 39 saves are the fifth-most in a USHL game this season. Shakar doubled down with a 38-save win against Sioux Falls one week later on Oct. 10.
Charlie Vig enters the weekend with an assist in consecutive games and tied for the team lead in points (9). The second-year Lancer has already surpassed his point total from last year in 11 fewer games. He has scored a point in three of the last five games (1G-2A) and ranks third on the team in shots (30).
The Steel are 17-28-3-2 all-time against Omaha and 10-12-1-2 at home. This weekend's matchups are the final scheduled matchups between the two teams this season. Chicago defeated Omaha 4-1 at the USHL Fall Classic earlier this season on Sept. 19. Luke Goukler tallied a natural hat trick for the Steel in the win. Ryan Aaronson scored the only goal for Omaha. Both teams recorded 19 shots on goal.
The Muskegon Lumberjacks (11-2-0-0, 22 pts.) have been one of the hottest teams in the league with four consecutive wins and stand atop the Eastern Conference standings. Muskegon won its lone game last weekend, a 5-3 road victory against the USA Hockey NTDP on Oct. 30. Rudolfs Berzkalns scored the game-winning goal in a game that saw all five goals scored by a different Muskegon skater.
Muskegon's offseason acquisition of Melvin Novotny has proved pivotal in the early goings of the season. The Buffalo Sabres prospect leads Muskegon in points (15) and is tied for the team lead in both goals (7) and assists (8). His 15 points are the fourth-most in the USHL. He has scored a point in six consecutive games (9P-3G-6A) and seven of the last eight games (11P-4G-7A).
The Lumberjacks' goaltending duo of William Keane and Carl Axelsson has been the best in the league this season. The two rank third and fourth, respectively, in the USHL in goals against average, with Keane at 2.20 and Axelsson at 2.24. Keane has a .929 save percentage, second-best in the league, and has won four of five starts. Axelsson has won seven starts, tied for the most in the league, and has allowed three or fewer goals in six of his seven starts. His .920 save percentage ranks fourth among league goaltenders.
The Steel are 50-47-7-0 all-time against Muskegon and 24-22-4-0 on the road. Sunday's game is the first of seven scheduled matchups between the two teams this season. The Steel finished the 2024-2025 season 3-3-0-0 against Muskegon and won one of three games on the road. The Lumberjacks held the Steel to three or fewer goals in five of six games last season.
The next home games for the Steel are Friday, Nov. 21 for Chica-GOATs Night presented by Mark's Card Shop, where the Steel will pay homage to the greatest Chicago athletes. Chicago will finish that weekend on Saturday, Nov. 22 with Defying Gravity Night presented by Illinois Aviation Academy. The team will wear special Wicked-themed jerseys for the game that will be auctioned online with proceeds to benefit Breakthrough T1D. Fans can Skate with the Steel after the game.
Tickets are on sale now starting at just $10. All Steel tickets are digital, and fans are encouraged to purchase online in advance at ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
For a limited time, Steel Suites are on sale for just $30 per person (min. 12 tickets) when purchased online. This offer is valid for November and December home games, excluding Dec. 27.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, November 7 vs. Omaha Lancers (7:05 pm CT) | 6th Annual Turtle Races in partnership with Hickory Knolls Discovery Center
Saturday, November 8 vs. Omaha Lancers (7:05 pm CT) | Decades Night presented by Candy Cloud South Elgin
Sunday, November 9 at Muskegon Lumberjacks (2:05 pm CT)
United States Hockey League Stories from November 5, 2025
- Meyer Commits to St. Thomas - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Black Hawks Celebrate the United States Marines on Salute to Veterans Night - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Weekend Preview: November 7-8 - Omaha Lancers
- Six Lumberjacks Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Steel Host Turtle Races and Decades Night this Weekend - Chicago Steel
- Chambre Brings Experience to Waterloo - Waterloo Black Hawks
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