USHL Chicago Steel

Steel Set Franchise Goals Record; Win Fourth Straight

Published on April 11, 2021 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release


GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The Steel set a franchise goals record and special teams played a pivotal role in a 5-1 win for Chicago (34-11-3-2; 73 pts.) over the Youngstown Phantoms (9-28- 4-2; 24 pts.) at Fox Valley Ice Arena Sunday afternoon.

Chicago's third goal of the game came from Matt Coronato, the 244th marker of the season, the most in a single campaign in franchise history. The record comes in just the team's 50th game of the season. The Steel currently average 4.92 goals per game, just a fraction behind the pace of the shortened 2019-2020 season when the team averaged 4.94 goals per game, the most in USHL history.

Simon Latkoczy made 28 saves, his second consecutive game allowing one or fewer goals against, while Coronato potted two goals in the victory.

Josh Doan, Mackie Samoskevich and Adam Fantilli added markers in the final game of a three- game weekend sweep over Youngstown in which the Steel outscored the Phantoms 14-2.

The Steel penalty kill charted a perfect 6-for-6 (100%) performance Sunday including killing off two 5-on-3 chances for the Phantoms.

Chicago earned the only power play of the opening frame with Doan seeing the best scoring chance. The Arizona State University commit waited out netminder Mattias Sholl skating to his right and letting go a wrist shot. Sholl soaked up the wrister to keep the scoreboard clean but Doan got the better of the Youngstown goaltender just five minutes later.

Doan extended his goal streak to four games after Sean Farrell hustled into the Steel offensive zone to cancel out an icing call. Farrell found Lukas Gustafsson cutting towards the net as Gustafsson put a shot on net that was turned away by Sholl, right to Doan who didn't miss from point-blank range.

Steel special teams loomed large in the middle frame with timely sequences of penalty kills. A shorthanded situation turned into an abbreviated 5-on-3 for Youngstown but the penalty killers of the Steel fought off the two-man advantage.

While killing the second infraction, yet another penalty was called on Chicago, giving Youngstown their second abbreviated 5-on-3 opportunity. The Steel once again held the Phantoms off the board as the two-man edge ran out.

After a timely save from Latkoczy, the Steel cleared the zone shorthanded and Mackie Samoskevich alleviated the pressure by drawing a tripping call to get to 4-on-4 action.

Samoskevich doubled the Steel lead late in the middle frame, right after another important penalty kill for Chicago.

Seconds after a slashing call on Doan expired, Samoskevich kept pace with Sam Lipkin for a 2- on-1 rush, ripping home a one-time setup from Lipkin for his 13th goal of the year.

A pair of goals from Matt Coronato distanced the Steel from Youngstown.

With less than a minute to play in the middle frame, Coronato caught a pass from Samoskevich in the left circle, ripping a wrister past Sholl for the record-setting goal which extended the Steel lead to 3-0.

Halfway through the final period of the weekend, Coronato reached the back of the net on a wrap-around attempt. The Harvard University-bound forward drew Sholl to the right post and used his speed to gain ground behind the net, stuffing home his 45th of the season.

Jack Silich answered for the Phantoms, scoring his second goal in as many games to cut the lead to 4-1 and end Latkoczy's bid for a second straight shutout against Youngstown.

Steel rookie forward Adam Fantilli put the finishing touches on the game, capitalizing on the final power play of the game. The Nobleton, Ontario, native lost his defender in front of the net as Dawson Pasternak slid a pass across the front of the crease to put the Steel ahead 5-1.

The power play goal gave the Steel a 2-for-4 (50.0%) performance with the man advantage.

The victory gives Chicago four consecutive wins heading into the final matchup of the regular season against Youngstown on Thursday, April 15 at Covelli Centre in Ohio. The Steel have a 10-1-0-0 record in 11 matchups against the Phantoms thus far.

Tickets for all remaining regular season home game are on sale now by calling 855-51-STEEL, visiting ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com or at the Steel Box Office open at 10 a.m. on the day of each home game.

Chicago Steel games can be heard on Mixlr at http://mixlr.com/chicago-steel/ (FREE AUDIO) and video may be streamed on available devices through HockeyTV at www.hockeytv.com (STREAM). Chicago Steel Upcoming Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:

Thursday, April 15 at Youngstown Phantoms (5:05 pm CT)

Saturday, April 17 at Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT)

Friday, April 23 vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (7:05 pm CT) Fan Appreciation Weekend presented by Xfinity with Steel puck giveaway (first 250 fans)

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

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2021


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