General 2/11/2026 9:41:00 AM Calvin Bush

Steel Salute Their Time in the Fox Valley with Celebration This Saturday

Chicago will host Part One of Trading Card Set Giveaway on Sunday

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — With three wins over the last four games and sitting just two points outside the playoff picture, the Chicago Steel will return to home ice and host two exciting games that kick off with a Fox Valley Celebration presented by McCormick FONA on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7:05 pm CT.

Chicago will wear special jerseys for the game that feature different elements of the Fox Valley in a tribute to the team's 11 seasons in Geneva. The jerseys will be auctioned off to benefit the Geneva Academic Foundation.

The Steel will close out the weekend on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3:05 pm CT with Part One of the team's Trading Card Set Giveaway presented by River Front Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Truck Center. Fans can stay after the game to get their card set signed during Full Team Post-Game Autographs. Both games are against the Tri-City Storm.

Chicago will take on the Waterloo Black Hawks on the road on Friday, Feb. 13 at 6:35 pm CT before the pair of home matchups.

The Fox Valley Celebration jerseys to be worn Saturday feature a red base layer as a throwback to the uniforms worn by Chicago early in their time at the Fox Valley Ice Arena. On the front of the jersey is a map of the Fox Valley area, with Geneva, St. Charles, and Batavia highlighted in large font. A white star is placed on the map where Fox Valley Ice Arena resides. The words "Fox Valley" in a sleek red text span the front of the sweater, and the latitude and longitude coordinates of the Fox Valley Ice Arena grace the inside of the neck.

On both sleeves is another map overlay and a white star, the right representing Chicago's former home from 2000-2015, the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville. The left sleeve pinpoints Chicago's future home, USG Arena, on the west side of Chicago. The rear features several noteworthy landmarks in the Fox Valley area.

The Steel (19-17-5-2, 45 pts.) closed out a four-game stretch against Muskegon last weekend, splitting a pair of games while earning six of eight possible points over the four matchups. The Steel jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Feb. 6, but the Lumberjacks scored five unanswered goals in the game's final 21 minutes to hand Chicago a 5-2 loss.

Chicago scored three goals in the first period the next day, marking the second time in three games it accomplished the feat. Muskegon scored twice to get within a goal, but the Steel held strong and tallied an empty net goal to seal a 4-2 win. Alex Assadourian, Marco Senerchia, and Benson Grande each scored goals, and Luke Goukler potted the empty net goal.

The Steel were not penalized in the win, marking the first time it didn't commit a penalty since Nov. 25, 2023 at Fargo. It was the first time in six games they did not allow a power play goal.

Goaltender Veeti Louhivaara put in a strong performance in the Feb. 7 win with 35 saves on 37 shots to record his fifth win of the season and second in a row. The New Jersey Devils prospect netminder has helped the Steel earn a standings point in six of his last seven games. His 35 saves were the second-most this season, and he has allowed more than three goals just once in his last six appearances.

Jackson Crowder extended his point streak to six games (5G-4A). The Washington Capitals prospect has also scored a point in six consecutive home games, the second-longest active home point streak in the USHL (4G-5A).

Chicago made several trades last week and acquired forwards Cade Strom and Adyn Merrick in separate transactions. Strom came to the Steel in a trade with Sioux Falls, and Merrick joined the team via trade from Waterloo.

The Waterloo Black Hawks (12-26-1-2, 27 pts.) were limited to one goal in consecutive games against Fargo last weekend. The Black Hawks scored first on Feb. 6, but Fargo scored twice in each of the final two periods. Waterloo again found itself in front after a period the next day, but the Force scored three times in the final 11 minutes of the third period to sweep the Black Hawks.

Waterloo has dropped nine consecutive games and has allowed opponents to score four goals or more in six of the last seven games.

Second-year forward Ty Mason leads Waterloo in points (32) and goals (18) and has 26 more shots than the next-highest skater (108). The Western Michigan commit has been held off the scoresheet in three consecutive games and six of the last seven games.

Travis Lefere is in his first full season with Waterloo after appearing in two games in 2023-2024 and playing in the NAHL last season. The Miami (OH) commit scored a goal against Fargo on Feb. 7 and has scored a goal in four of the last eight games.

The Steel are 28-49-3-3 all-time against Waterloo and 9-31-2-1 on the road. The Black Hawks have won seven consecutive games against Chicago. The last Steel win against Waterloo was Jan. 16, 2021 in Geneva. Friday is the first of three matchups between the teams. The two teams will match up at Fox Valley Ice Arena on March 6 and 8.

The Tri-City Storm (21-19-3-2, 47 pts.) split their weekend series in Madison, falling 2-0 on Feb. 6 while being outshot 30-18. It was the fifth time this season they were shut out. The Storm turned the tables the following game, topping the Capitols 3-2 despite being outshot 39-24 and going shorthanded five times. They did not allow a power play goal in the victory.

The Storm have won seven of their last ten games. Their 25 road standings points are the fourth-most in the USHL.

Goaltenders Michal Pradel and Owen Nelson have provided the Storm a lethal one-two punch between the pipes this season. Pradel, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, owns the league's third-best save percentage (.918) and fifth-best goals against average (2.48). He has the most shutouts of any USHL goalie (4) and has allowed three or fewer goals in 10 of his last 11 starts. Nelson has won four consecutive games and has not allowed more than two goals in any of those wins.

Bode Laylin ranks as one of the top blueliners in the league and has six points (2G-4A) over the last four games. The third-year Storm defenseman ranks fifth among USHL defenders in points (27) and has the second-most power play goals (5) in that category.

The Storm possess the USHL's best penalty kill success rate (86.4%) and fourth-best goals against average (2.91), but rank second-last in goals for (2.51) and power play success rate (11.5%).

The Steel are 29-23-4-3 all-time against Tri-City and 17-11-2-2 at home. The Steel won both games against Tri-City last season and have won three of the last four matchups. This weekend marks the only two scheduled matchups between the two teams.

Tickets for all Steel home games are on sale now starting at just $10.

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

Chicago Steel Upcoming Schedule presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush:
Friday, February 13 at Waterloo Black Hawks (6:35 pm CT)
Saturday, February 14 vs. Tri-City Storm (7:05 pm CT) | Fox Valley Celebration presented by McCormick FONA | Special Jersey Auction to benefit Geneva Academic Foundation (GAF)
Sunday, February 15 vs. Tri-City Storm (3:05 pm CT) | Trading Card Set Giveaway (Part One) presented by River Front Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Truck Center | Full-Team Postgame Autographs

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