General 9/30/2023 9:25:00 PM

Lumberjacks Spoil Steel Opener in High-Scoring Loss Saturday

Two Steel skaters score first USHL goals in Saturday night’s game against Muskegon

GENEVA, IL — In their first home game of the season, the Chicago Steel (1-3-0-0, 2 pts.) dropped an offensive battle against the Muskegon Lumberjacks (3-1-0-0, 6 pts.) 7-4 at Fox Valley Ice Arena on Saturday night.

Sacha Boisvert and Jack Galanek both scored two goals for Muskegon in their win, while Joey DelGreco found twine twice for Chicago. The Steel trailed 5-2 heading to the third period and cut the lead to 5-4 before Muskegon pulled away.

Chicago has lost three straight games since a season-opening victory against Sioux City.

Things started with a slight tilt favoring Chicago, which spent a chunk of time in Muskegon's end, and got dangerously close to scoring early on a pass through the crease three minutes into action but saw it narrowly miss an outstretched stick.

With 12:18 on the board, Charlie Major saw the game's first big chance while on the power play.

After some tape-to-tape passing in the attacking end, Major charged up a high-rising snapshot, but Muskegon goaltender Paxton Geisel made a swift sliding save to keep the game scoreless.

Even after the power play expired, the Steel continued to keep Geisel on his toes, spraying shots on goal and putting passes around his crease.

Just after the halfway point of the period, it looked like the Jacks were going to take the lead, but a missed tap in putt at a wide-open back door took an easy goal away from the road team.

It didn't take too long for Muskegon to get another chance to score, getting on the board three minutes later.

Out of a board battle in the far corner, the Jacks created a turnover in front of Steel netminder Louka Cloutier's crease and did not squander the opportunity.

Jack Galanek pickpocketed a Steel defender and tucked in the game's first goal to put the Lumberjacks in front.

Forty seconds later, the second penalty of the game was called against the Jacks, giving Chicago another chance to get on the board.

With 4:46 left in first and just over a minute into power play, the Steel scored their third power play goal of the year.

After entering the zone, Joey DelGreco sauced a beautiful stretch pass from just inside the blue to the back door, where Mick Thompson was waiting and put it into the back of the net.

It was the first goal of the year for Thompson, who is skating in his third season in Chicago.

The first period was a good one for Steel forward Charlie Major, who was in the back pocket of Geisel for much of the opening frame with 4 shots on goal.

Muskegon almost took the lead with under a minute to go in the opening period after Jack Sparkes unleashed a wicked slap shot from the blue line, but Cloutier shot out his left leg to make a skate save and keep it tied at one.

It took all of 1:09 for the Lumberjacks to take their lead back in the second period when Sacha Boisvert scored his third goal of the year to put the Lumberjacks back on top, 2-1.

Just over two minutes later, the Jacks extended their lead to two for the first time of the game on a Hunter Anderson score.

The Lumberjacks kept pouring it when Cody Croal extended his point streak to four games with his second goal of the season, making it 4-1 Jacks.

With nine minutes to go, Thompson displayed a commending effort on the backcheck to break up a great chance from the slot for Muskegon, and a penalty called against the Jacks as result.

The first power play didn't yield any results for the Steel, but another was awarded after the expiration of the first one, and Chicago made the latter count.

Right off the draw, and after a blocked shot, a gorgeous pass from Thompson found DelGreco at the side of the net to mark the second Steel power play goal, and DelGreco's first USHL goal.

Muskegon threatened to extend its lead to four when Joe Connor got loose on a shorthanded breakaway with ten seconds in the period, but his snapshot deflected off the crossbar and out.

The Steel turned on the gas to start the third period and had a noticeable urgency in their game down three.

The acceleration paid off just under four minutes into the third period when DelGreco, who scored his first career USHL goal earlier, stayed hot.

After dipping through Muskegon's end, DelGreco worked his way to the blue line, and while protecting the puck, pedaled towards the slot and released a perfect shot to the far side that beat Geisel to make it 5-3.

Three minutes later, the Steel clawed their way back to within a goal.

Steel forward Owen Tylec added his first USHL goal to his name with helpers from Lukas Sawchyn and Thompson to make it a 5-4 game.

The Lumberjacks staved off the strong Chicago push, and added another goal from Galanek, and one more from Justin Solovey to cease the Steel comeback and skate away with a 7-4 win.

Chicago managed two power play goals on five opportunities, and saw multi-point efforts from Joey DelGreco, Mick Thompson, and Michael Hage.

Steel goaltender Louka Cloutier made 28 saves on 35 shots in defeat.

Next weekend, the Steel head to Youngstown Friday, October 6 for a matchup with the defending Clark Cup Champion Phantoms. On Saturday, October 7, the Steel visit Muskegon for a matchup with the Lumberjacks.

Chicago will return to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Friday, October 13 to host Waterloo for Freaky Friday the 13^th.

Single game tickets are on sale now starting at just $10. All Steel tickets are digital and fans are encouraged to purchase online in advance at ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.

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

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, October 6 at Youngstown Phantoms (6:05 pm CT)
Saturday, October 7 at Muskegon Lumberjacks (6:10 pm CT)
Friday, October 13 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks (7:05 pm CT) Freaky Friday the 13th

###

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#14 Mick Thompson: F; 5' 8"; Harvard University

#20 Charlie Major: F; 5' 10"; Cornell University

#10 Joey DelGreco: Forward; 5' 10"; Freshman; Augustana University

#1 Louka Cloutier: Goaltender; 6' 1"; Freshman; University of Nebraska-Omaha

Players Mentioned

#14 Mick Thompson
: 5' 8"; Harvard University
: F

#20 Charlie Major
: 5' 10"; Cornell University
: F

#10 Joey DelGreco
: 5' 10"; Freshman; Augustana University
: Forward

#1 Louka Cloutier
: 6' 1"; Freshman; University of Nebraska-Omaha
: Goaltender