USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Open Road Stretch with Two Games in Iowa

January 10, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - Following three straight games at home, the Steel will travel to Iowa this weekend and take on the Waterloo Black Hawks on Friday, Jan. 12 at 7:05 pm CT and the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 6:00 pm CT.

The Steel were set to battle the Green Bay Gamblers on Tuesday, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. A makeup date for the game has yet to be announced.

This past weekend, the Steel (10-17-1-2) split their second straight weekend of games after a 4-3 overtime win against the Sioux Falls Stampede on Jan. 5. Chicago then secured a point in a thrilling game that went the distance, a 5-4 shootout loss to Sioux Falls on Jan. 6.

Chicago received heavy scoring from its top scorers over the weekend, with defenseman Michael Hagens earning USHL Defenseman of the Week honors for the second time this season thanks to a four-point weekend.

Hagens recorded a goal and two assists on Jan. 6 and played a crucial part in helping the Steel earn a point, as his level-headed play to corral the puck and put a shot on goal with less than five seconds left in regulation created an opportunity for Mick Thompson to tie the game with 1.6 seconds remaining to force overtime. Hagens had the primary assist on Michael Hage's overtime game-winning goal on Jan. 5.

Steel returning forwards Hage, Thompson, and Charlie Major posted a noteworthy weekend of productivity. Hage scored three goals and recorded an assist over the weekend, while Thompson scored a goal and an assist in both games against the Stampede. Major was a tremendous help in setting up goals, cashing in with five assists in the two games.

Hage has been on a resounding tear since the start of December, scoring eight goals and five assists in the team's ten games since Dec. 2. Hage is tied for ninth in the league in scoring with 31 points.

Joey DelGreco also stayed on the scoresheet for the second consecutive weekend with a goal on Jan. 5 and an assist on Jan. 6. All four of the top scoring forwards for Chicago find themselves on a point streak, with Hage and Thompson tied at the top with seven points each in their respective streaks of four and five games.

The Waterloo Black Hawks (17-12-0-0) enter the weekend also fresh off a split series after a 4-3 victory over the Lincoln Stars on Jan. 5 and a 5-3 loss on Jan. 6. Before the loss, the Black Hawks had a four-game winning streak. They have won seven of their last ten games.

The Black Hawks dropped the first five games of the season before a 5-2 win over the Steel on Oct. 13 righted the team's ship. Waterloo is the only team with a flawless record in both overtime and shootout with two overtime wins and three in the shootout.

Forward John Mustard has been one of the most lethal skaters in the league this season, tied for ninth in the USHL in overall scoring with 31 points in 29 games.

A rookie, Mustard has scored 16 goals this season along with 15 assists. The Providence commit leads in points, goals, and assists among all rookies in the league. Adding to his offensive accolades, Mustard has 5 power play goals and 11 power play points, both of which lead rookies.

Another asset for Waterloo this season has been goaltender Calvin Vachon. Currently in his first year with the Black Hawks, Vachon enters the weekend tied for fourth in goals against average (2.88) among all goalies in the league. In 20 appearances this season, Vachon has just five losses to 13 wins and has recorded two shutouts.

The Steel are 28-48-2-3 all-time against Waterloo. The previous matchup between the two this season came on Oct. 13, where the Black Hawks came out victorious in Geneva, 5-2. Neither team scored in the opening period, and Chicago tied the game at one in the second before Waterloo scored four straight goals to pull away. The Steel are 9-30-1-1 as the road team against the Black Hawks.

The Des Moines Buccaneers (11-16-4-0) have been on a skid as of late, losing eight of their last ten games. The Buccaneers visited the Fargo Force to start the New Year and were met with a barrage of scoring from the opposition with a 9-0 loss on Jan. 5 and a 5-2 loss on Jan. 6.

Like the Black Hawks, the Buccaneers also feature a strong rookie who has been prominent in scoring this season. Ben Kevan ranks second in rookie scoring with 27 points in 28 games this season. Kevan's 13 goals also rank second among rookies, and his 14 assists are tied with teammate Ilya Protas for second for rookies.

Protas, another top-scoring rookie, has 19 points with Des Moines this season. The first-year forward has scored five goals, with four of them coming while on the power play. The four power play goals rank second in the category for rookies.

The Steel are 42-24-2-4 all-time against Des Moines. The Steel won each of the two games against the Buccaneers last season, the most recent matchup on Feb. 11, 2023 a 7-4 victory for the Steel on the road. Steel alum Macklin Celebrini recorded a hat trick and had two assists for a five-point performance, while current defenseman Michael Hagens scored twice for Chicago in the win. The Steel are 19-15-2-1 on the road against the Buccaneers.

The next home matchups for Chicago are Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27 with both games at 7:05 pm.

Jan. 26 is Out of This World Night presented by Illinois Aviation Academy, where the Steel will wear special space-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Single-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.

Group tickets and experiences, suites and other premium areas, including the team's new Ice Side Tables, are also on sale now.

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL.

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:

Friday, January 12 at Waterloo Black Hawks (7:05 pm CT)

Saturday, January 13 at Des Moines Buccaneers (6:00 pm CT)

Friday, January 19 at USA Hockey NTDP U17 (6:00 pm CT)

Check out the Chicago Steel Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2024


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