USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Score Three Unanswered, Beat Green Bay 3-1

Published on February 4, 2022 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - After giving up the game's first goal, the Chicago Steel (22-8-6-0; 50 pts.) answered with three consecutive markers to beat the Green Bay Gamblers (16-16-2-1; 35 pts.) by a 3-1 score Friday night at Resch Center in Wisconsin.

Steel netminder Nick Haas matched a season-best with just one goal allowed, making 25 saves en route to his eighth win of the season between the Steel pipes.

After Chicago surrendered a shorthanded goal in the first period, Adam Fantilli and Sam Lipkin each reached the back of the net before Luca Fantilli sealed the victory with an empty net goal.

Green Bay got the first power play of the night but could not reach the back of the net including a chance on the doorstep from forward Cam Lund. While Haas was anticipating a wrap-around chance, Lund had an open net but misfired a puck wide, keeping the scoreless tie.

Haas turned Lund away late in the first, denying Green Bay's second-leading goal scorer after Lund made a power move to the net. Haas mirrored the Gamblers forward, closing the door as he shifted right to left for one of his 10 stops in the first period.

The first power play of the game for Chicago quickly turned into a 5-on-3 advantage as the Gamblers were whistled just under a minute into their first penalty kill. With the two-man advantage, Chicago fired multiple shots on net against Gamblers netminder Aaron Randazzo but the first penalty expired, springing Green Bay forward Matt DeBoer from the penalty box.

With the Gamblers in possession of the puck, DeBoer tagged up and slipped past Steel coverage ending up all alone in front of the net to beat Haas for the first goal of the game.

Randazzo continued to shine in net with a pair of stops late in the middle frame. Steel defenseman Anthony Dowd tiptoed to the doorstep but was denied as the puck found Joe Miller.

Miller turned and fired but was stopped again by Randazzo who kept the Gamblers lead at 1-0.

Chicago's league-leading power play unit earned another chance to prove themselves and the USHL's top goal scorer capitalized to tie the game with just under five minutes to play in the second.

Adam Fantilli ripped a seeing-eye wrist shot from the left circle on the power play, helped by a screen from Sam Lipkin in front of the net, his 24th goal of the year. With the marker, Fantilli slotted into a tie for ninth all-time on the Steel franchise goals list with Matty De St. Phalle, Nick Abruzzese and Rene Gauthier, all with 42 goals in a Steel sweater.

It wasn't until the midway point of the third that the tie was broken, started by a tough neutral zone play from Steel forward Andon Cerbone as he disrupted a Gamblers rush, knocking the

puck to Sam Lipkin who chipped it into the offensive zone. Lipkin pursued the puck on the forecheck, forcing a giveaway and firing a tough angle shot from above the left side of the goal line. Lipkin beat Randazzo above his right shoulder, his 19th goal of the season to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

Haas continued to stand his ground in the Steel net through the final frame with a sequence of back-to-back stops on a Gamblers possession. After Kent Anderson fired a one-timer from the left circle that was padded away by Haas, Lund followed with a rebound opportunity that was soaked up by Haas and frozen for a stoppage in play.

Trailing by a goal with just under two minutes to play, Randazzo was pulled for a Gamblers' offensive zone faceoff. Green Bay won possession and immediately put a shot on Haas who was once again up to the test.

After forcing a turnover at the Steel defensive zone blueline, Adam Fantilli fed the puck to his brother Luca who fired a shot from just above his own faceoff circle, registering his second goal of the season to seal the 3-1 win.

The Steel have now won back-to-back games, joining the Muskegon Lumberjacks who earned a point in a shootout loss Friday night as the only teams in the Eastern Conference with 50 points in the standings thus far this season.

Chicago returns to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Saturday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 6 against the USHL-leading Tri- City Storm. Wiener Dog Races headline Saturday's showdown at 7:05 pm CT while Sunday is a 3:05 pm CT puck d rop for Rusty's Birthday Celebration and a Steel Family Pack Game with a special ticket deal featuring 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 chips, 4 sodas/waters and 4 chuck-a-pucks for just $50.

Single-game tickets start at just $10 and are available in person at the Steel Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena, by phone at 855-51-STEEL and online at chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. The Steel offer single-game ticket discounts for kids 12 and under and military.

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 (VIDEO).

For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

Chicago Steel Upcoming Home Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:

Saturday, February 5 vs. Tri-City Storm (7:05 pm CT) Wiener Dog Races

Sunday, February 6 vs. Tri-City Storm (3:05 pm CT) Rusty's Birthday | Steel Family Pack Game

Saturday, February 19 vs. Team USA (U17) (7:05 pm CT) Chicago Blackhawks Night presented by River Front Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Ram featuring Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Savard

Check out the Chicago Steel Statistics

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