Steel Respond to Force Deciding Game 3
April 17, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GREEN BAY, WI - Under the lights on the must-win, playoff stage, Chicago bounced back with five goals and a 32 save showing from Louka Cloutier as the Steel defeated the Green Bay Gamblers 5-2 in Game 2 of the best-of-three First Round series on Tuesday night at Resch Center.
The win forces a decisive Game 3 of the series to be played Wednesday, April 17 at 7:05 p.m.
Steel netminder Louka Cloutier was sensational, making 32 saves on 34 shots to help the Steel to the win in his playoff debut.
Tobias Ohman scored the opening goal five minutes into the game to set the tone for Chicago. Owen Tylec then added a score in the second frame. The Steel cemented the victory in the third period with goals from Charlie Major, Joey DelGreco, and an empty net score from Hunter Hady.
With their backs against the wall and missing their leading scorer, Michael Hage, due to a suspension, the Steel struck first in the opening frame.
On a puck that was cleared into Green Bay's zone, Ohman was the first man to reach it. From a sharp angle, he lasered a shot past Gamblers netminder Adam Gajan from almost parallel with the goal line to put Chicago ahead 1-0.
Chicago went shorthanded later in the first period and killed the penalty off with help from a loud Gamblers shot from the point that rang off the crossbar. Cloutier faced 11 shots in the first and stopped each one.
The game was even in the middle frame in terms of opportunities, with the Steel a shade above Green Bay in shots through the first half. The Steel offensive push broke through with the second score of the game at 8:32 when Tylec hustled down the ice and hit the brakes to get around a defenseman and create an opportunity.
With space in front of him, Tylec skated in from below the icing line and into the slot before releasing a backhand shot that beat Gajan to make it 2-0.
Cloutier again faced 11 shots and again was flawless with 22 saves through two periods.
The Gamblers snapped out of their slump in the third frame when Mykailo Danylov scored at 3:20 of the period to get the home team on the board.
The Steel pushed further onto the throttle with back-to-back tallies to surge to a three-goal lead.
Two minutes after Green Bay's goal, Major got an opening from the left circle and sent a blistering shot to the high glove of Gajan to make it 3-1.
Chicago took a commanding three-goal lead at the halfway point of the third when Kolin Sisson dropped a pass in the high slot to a streaking DelGreco, who sniped home a crucial goal to the blocker of Gajan.
Shortly after DelGreco's goal, the Steel were assessed a penalty to give the Gamblers their third man advantage of the night. With just 20 seconds left on the power play, Julian Lutz scored his second goal of the playoffs to bring Green Bay with two.
The Gamblers pulled their netminder with 2:30 to go, but Hady lifted a shot from the defensive zone over everyone that bounced down the ice and split the goal to put the game away.
The winner of Wednesday's deciding Game 3 will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals and take on the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Group tickets and experiences are on sale now for potential Eastern Conference Semifinals playoff home games.
Season ticket plans for the 2024-2025 season are now on sale starting at just 5 games for just $50. As part of the team's "Ticket Plan Madness" campaign, for a limited time, fans that secure a new season ticket plan for next season may receive complimentary tickets for playoff games this season.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL.
Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
First Round (best-of-three series)
#6 Steel at #3 Green Bay
Game 1: Green Bay 6, Chicago 5 | Monday, April 15 Game 2: Chicago 5, Green Bay 2 | Tuesday, April 16 Game 3: Chicago at Green Bay, Wednesday, April 17, 7:05 pm
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