General 10/8/2025 10:32:00 AM Calvin Bush

Steel Fans Can Bring Their Dogs to Friday's Game

Pucks and Pups presented by PetSuites as 4-1-0-0 Steel host undefeated Dubuque

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — Following a pair of nail-biting shootout road victories, the Chicago Steel will return home to let the dogs in for Pucks and Pups presented by PetSuites this Friday, October 10 at 7:05 pm against the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The Steel will close the weekend on the road against Dubuque on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7:05 pm.

Fans can bring their dog(s) to the game and partake in some of the furry-friend-themed features. Pups will be selected to compete in "Musical Sit" and "Mix and Mutt" during intermission, as well as a "Pup Cup Battle" during the game.

Dogs and their human companions should purchase tickets in Sections 200 and 201 and are asked to enter Door 12 in the northeast corner of Fox Valley Ice Arena. Tickets are not required for dogs, though they are encouraged to cheer loudly for the Steel. Click here for more information.

The Steel (4-1-0-0, 8 pts.) swept their first true road series of the season last weekend, with not one but two shootout wins over Des Moines that saw both go to eight rounds. Chicago scored three straight goals in the second period on Oct. 3 to take a 3-1 lead, but the Buccaneers answered with two goals to take the game to overtime and eventually a shootout. Ashton Schultz and Kolin Sisson each scored a shootout goal, and Henry Major scored in the eighth round, with Louis-Felix Charrois delivering the dagger with a stop in the bottom half to secure a 4-3 win.

The Steel took a 2-0 lead in the first period the following night with Cole Tuminaro's first Steel goal and Brady Kudrick getting his first USHL score. Des Moines replied with two early goals in the third period to tie the game, but Timo Kazda and James Scantlebury each scored to take a 4-2 lead. The Buccaneers scored two goals 50 seconds apart to tie the game at four and extend the game to extra time for the second consecutive night.

Sam Caulfield put on a show in the shootout, stopping all eight shooters he faced to backstop Chicago to a 5-4 win, their second straight victory. Jason Millett scored the only goal for either team in the shootout in the eighth round.

It was the first time the Steel played in consecutive games that reached the shootout since Nov. 11, 2022 and Nov. 12, 2022 when they beat Madison 6-5 in 11 rounds and fell to Cedar Rapids 6-5 in three rounds.

Chicago's defensive unit continued to thrive in last weekend's wins. The team went 5-for-7 on the penalty kill in their two games and limited Des Moines to 26 shots in their win on Oct. 4. That same game, they recorded 30 shots on goal, their most in a single game this season. The team has a 4.20 goals per game average entering this weekend's games, which ranks third in the USHL.

Second-year Steel forward Jackson Crowder enters the weekend with points in three of five games. The Washington Capitals prospect has tallied three assists and a goal this season.

Defenseman Marco Senerchia has secured an assist in three consecutive games and four of the first five games of the season. The Providence commit boasts a +3 rating, tied for second-best on the team and has a power play assist.

Forward Miles Burgin saw his three-game point streak end on Oct. 3 but finished the weekend with an assist, keeping him in a tie for the team lead in points (5). Burgin opened the season with a goal in three consecutive games and has posted at least one point in four of five outings.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints (5-0-0-0, 10 pts.) stayed perfect with a home sweep over Omaha last weekend with a 3-2 win on Oct. 3 and a dominating 9-1 win on Oct. 4. Captain Teddy Merrill scored a pair of goals in the one-goal victory that saw Dubuque outshoot Omaha 42-27. Omaha outshot Dubuque the following night 32-31 but surrendered the second-most goals in a single game this season. The Fighting Saints scored three goals to start and finished with six unanswered scores in the lopsided win.

Fighting Saints third-year forward Charlie Arend has scored at least one point in all five games this season. His eight points are tied for the most in the USHL, and his six assists rank first in the league. The Ohio State commit secured three points (1G-2A) in Dubuque's win on Oct. 4.

Melvin Ekman ranks just behind Arend in points with seven on the year and is second in the league in goals with four. Now in his second year with the team, Ekman started the season with five points (3G-2A) in the first two games and has tallied at least three shots on goal in all five games played.

The Steel are 36-29-4-0 all-time against Dubuque, 23-14-0-0 at home and 13-15-4-0 on the road. This weekend's games are the first and second of five scheduled matchups between the two teams this season. Dubuque swept the season series against the Steel last season (4-0-0-0) and outscored Chicago 23-10. They have won five consecutive regular season games dating back to the 2023-2024 season. Chicago's last win over Dubuque came on April 5, 2024 in a 4-3 shootout win in Geneva.

The Steel will take on the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders on the road on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:05 pm CT before returning home to host Rock & Roll Night with a special Fox Valley Farewell Tour-themed Guitar Pick Giveaway on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 6:05 pm CT against Madison.

Single-game, group, and premium seating tickets for the 2025-2026 season are also on sale now.

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

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, October 10 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints (7:05 pm CT) | Pucks and Pups presented by PetSuites | Bring Your Dog to the Game
Saturday, October 11 at Dubuque Fighting Saints (7:05 pm CT)
Friday, October 17 at Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (7:05 pm CT)

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