Steel Tie Game Late, Fall 4-3 in Overtime to Cedar Rapids
December 17, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - In a back-and-forth battle, the Chicago Steel (17-4-5-0; 39 pts.) pushed the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (11-11-0-0; 22 pts.) to overtime with a last-minute regulation goal, but fell 4-3 in the extra frame at ImOn Ice Arena in Iowa on Friday night. Despite Adam Fantilli's three-point night (2G, 1A) and a 26-23 advantage in shots on goal for Chicago, Cedar Rapids defeated the Steel for the first time in three chances this season.
Joe Miller netted his 12th goal of the season for Chicago with 37 seconds remaining in the third period, extending his current point streak to 13 games with 26 points (8G, 18A) over that stretch.
Nate Hanley played hero for the home team, scoring on a breakaway in overtime to secure the victory for Cedar Rapids.
For just the eighth time in 26 games, the Steel were shut out in the opening frame, limited to just five shots on goal by Cedar Rapids in the first 20 minutes.
The Chicago defense, led by netminder Gibson Homer, was equal to the task as Homer turned away all nine shots faced in the first.
With carryover time on a power play to start the middle frame, Adam Fantilli, the USHL goals leader, took full advantage, notching his first marker of the night. After a breakout play from Jackson Blake to find Sam Lipkin at the Steel offensive zone blueline, Lipkin tapped the puck to Fantilli who flew through the left side, beating RoughRiders netminder Connor Hasley for his 19th of the season.
Though the Steel entered the night with the league's top-ranked power play, the man advantage unit could not convert on two more chances in the second period, totaling a 1-for-4 (25.0%) mark through the first two frames.
Cedar Rapids flipped the momentum just before the teams broke for the second intermission. With just over two minutes left in the second, Liam Lesakowski flicked a low shot from the left point that saw its way through traffic in front to beat Homer for the first time in the game, pulling the RoughRiders even with Chicago.
The majority of the action on the scoreboard came in the third period, starting in the first few shifts of the frame.
Using a Steel defender as a screen just under two minutes into the period, Travis Shoudy flung a wrister past Homer to give the RoughRiders a 2-1 edge.
The Steel tied the game with Adam Fantilli's second goal of the night, another power play tally.
Starting with Jake Livanavage, the puck moved from the right circle to the top of the zone with Jackson Blake hitting Fantilli in the left circle. Fantilli fired a wrister past Hasley to tie the game at 2-2.
Not to be outdone, Cedar Rapids jumped back in the driver's seat with a power play goal of its own, late in the contest.
With Brendan Fitzgerald sending a puck from the left point to traffic in front of the crease, Conor Lovett was able to get the blade of his stick to a position to re-direct home his sixth of the season.
Cedar Rapids held on to its slim, one-goal cushion as the Steel began to run out of time. With just over a minute left, Chicago secured possession in the offensive zone, allowing Homer to vacate the net for an extra attacker.
With the extra man, excellent puck movement freed up Joe Miller for enough space to rip home his 12th goal of the year from just inside the right circle. Adam and Luca Fantilli teamed up for the assists, tying the game at 3-3 less than a minute to play.
In overtime, RoughRiders forward Nate Hanley sealed the additional point for the home team as he beat Homer on a breakaway for his seventh of the season.
With the overtime loss, the Steel extended their current point streak to four games and now have a 2-0-1-0 mark against Cedar Rapids in three games.
The Steel face off against the RoughRiders once again on Saturday, December 18 at Fox Valley Ice Arena with a 7:05 pm CT start time for Scooby-Doo Night and a Steel Family Pack Game, a special ticket deal with 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 chips, 4 sodas/waters and 4 chuck-apucks for just $50. Chicago will then host games against Madison on December 30 and January 2.
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 now 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, December 18 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (7:05 pm CT) Scooby-Doo Night | Family Pack Game
Thursday, December 30 vs. Madison Capitols (6:05 pm CT) GIVEAWAY - Steel Lunchbox Cooler Giveaway (first 500 fans)
Sunday, January 2 vs. Madison Capitols (3:05 pm CT) Family Pack Game
United States Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2021
- Lemyre's Hat Trick Punctuates Fighting Saints' Dominant 6-1 Win over Caps - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Caps Drop Series Opener in Dubuque, Look to Bounce Back Tomorrow at Home - Madison Capitols
- Storm Shutout Musketeers 3-0 - Tri-City Storm
- Steel Tie Game Late, Fall 4-3 in Overtime to Cedar Rapids - Chicago Steel
- Gamblers Take Three in a Row - Green Bay Gamblers
- Holly-Jolly Good Fun - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Lumberjacks Fizzle out in 6-3 Loss to Green Bay - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Lancers Fall in Game One of the Weekend Series against Des Moines - Omaha Lancers
- Hogg Posts First USHL Shutout Force Win 1-0 - Fargo Force
- Storm Return Home to Host Teddy Bear Toss - Tri-City Storm
- Caps Fall in Weekend Opener with Green Bay, Reset for Dubuque Tomorrow - Madison Capitols
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