USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Power Past Stampede 4-2 Saturday

Published on March 3, 2018 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - Hunter Johannes bookended the scoring for the Chicago Steel in a 4-2 win Saturday over the Sioux Falls Stampede at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Samuel Bucek recorded the game-winning tally for the Steel (21-19-1-4, 47 pts.) in the late stages of regulation and goaltender Oskar Autio made 22 saves in the victory over the Stampede (25-13-4-4, 58 pts.).

The Steel scored two goals in the first period, and the Stampede answered back with a pair of their own in the third to tie the game, before Bucek netted the game winner and Johannes added an empty-net goal to secure Chicago's 13th home win of the season.

Chicago opened the scoring just over seven minutes into the game when Johannes recorded his first goal with the Steel since being acquired from Fargo in a trade deadline deal earlier this week. Eric Otto collected the puck at the Steel blue line and found Johannes all alone on the left side with a backhand pass from the wall, and Johannes fired a shot under Stampede goaltender and Winnipeg Jets prospect Mikhail Berdin's glove.

The Steel doubled down with Blake McLaughlin's 20th goal of the season when the University of Minnesota commit stuffed in a rebound of Graham Lillibridge's point shot with 5:08 to play in the first. With the assist, Lillibridge moved into a tie for fifth in team history with 58 career helpers in his 100th regular season game with the Steel.

Neither team found the back of the net in a second period which saw the Stampede outshoot the Steel, 12-6. Autio came up huge for Chicago when he backstopped a 1:04 5-on-3 penalty kill against the USHL's second-best power play team, including denying a slap shot one-timer from Kevin Conley.

Sioux Falls rallied to tie the game in the first five minutes of the third period. Matt Gould redirected a shot from Jack St. Ivany over Autio's blocker at 2:40, and Conley fired a five-hole wrist shot at 4:34.

Bucek regained the lead for Chicago with 4:42 remaining, receiving a clearing pass from Jeremie Bucheler, driving down the right wing and firing a far-side shot from the top of the circle past Berdin's blocker.

The Stampede, looking once more for the equalizer, pulled Berdin with just over a minute remaining. Erik Urbank fired wide at the empty net, but Johannes hustled down the ice and knocked in the rebound to secure the two-goal victory.

The Steel finished a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill while the Stampede killed off the only Chicago power play.

Sunday afternoon, Chicago closes out its only three-home-game weekend of the season with a 3:05 p.m. contest against the Youngstown Phantoms - A Day for the Trolls on a Steel Family Sunday. Fans are invited to join the team on the ice for a post-game Skate with the Steel. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 855-51-STEEL, stop by the Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2018


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