General 2/15/2026 7:02:00 PM Calvin Bush

Tri-City Sweeps Steel with 4-3 Overtime Win

Kudrick, Merrick score Steel goals; Crowder scores late to help Chicago earn a point

GENEVA, IL — With their net empty and an extra attacker on, the Chicago Steel (20-18-6-2, 48 pts.) scored with 1:26 left to tie the game and force overtime, but Bode Laylin scored 28 seconds into the extra frame as the Tri-City Storm (23-19-3-2, 51 pts.) completed a two-game sweep over the Steel with a 4-3 overtime win Sunday afternoon at Fox Valley Ice Arena.

The Steel held a 2-0 lead after one period before three straight Storm goals gave Tri-City the lead. Jackson Crowder's game-extending goal allowed the Steel to earn a standings point for the fifth time in the last seven games.

Brady Kudrick scored for the second consecutive game with his 12^th goal of the season, and Adyn Merrick potted his tenth goal and first with the Steel. Crowder tallied his 14^th goal.

Goaltender Veeti Louhivaara stopped 20 shots in the overtime loss.

Early in the first period, a bouncing puck escaped the stick of Wyatt Herres at the Tri-City blue line, resulting in a two-on-one. Connor Brown skated down the left wing and snapped a shot that deflected off the paddle of Louhivaara and out of play.

Under five minutes into the opening frame, Kudrick skated down the left side and fired a shot on goal that leaked through Tri-City netminder Michal Pradel to put the Steel ahead 1-0.

Shortly after, Patrick Tolan deflected a Trevor Shorter point shot that bounced towards the goal and narrowly missed trickling in at the right post.

Just after the midway mark of the period, Ryland Rooney ripped a shot off of the right post that ricocheted out of play, ending a long span of offensive pressure by Chicago.

With under five minutes left in the first frame, the Steel got a big goal as Merrick outskated a Storm defender, cut to the cage and shoveled a shot through the five-hole of Pradel to give the Steel a 2-0 lead.

The Steel led in shots 11-7 heading to the second period.

Tri-City got on the board and within a goal at 5:55 after the Steel turned the puck over in their own end to Carson Pilgrim, who had an open lane down the slot and fired past Louhivaara to make it 2-1.

Offsetting minors created four-on-four play with 11 minutes left in the second, and Tri-City nearly tied the game when Mason Jenson slid a backdoor feed to Brown, who had a wide-open look for a tap-in goal, but the puck bounced off his stick and stayed out.

Chicago was penalized shortly after, and Paul Bloomer dropped the gloves with Cole Tuminaro one minute into the Storm advantage.

Tri-City failed to connect on the power play, keeping it a 2-1 Steel lead.

The home team went to its first power play with 4:01 left and maintained zone time, but Tri-City's top-ranked penalty kill kept the Steel off the board.

Pilgrim nearly cashed in with his second goal late in the period when he navigated around an outstretched Steel defender on a two-on-one, and lifted a shot on goal, but Louhivaara made the save.

Chicago remained in front in shots after two periods with a 20-17 shots lead.

The Storm erased the two-goal deficit at 3:51 of the third period as Brown received a pass in the slot and shot past Louhivaara to tie the game at 2-2.

Tri-City hopped into the driver's seat and took a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes to play when Pilgrim hammered a one-timer from the right circle for his second goal of the day.

With 2:23 left in regulation, the Steel pulled Louhivaara for an extra attacker, and one minute later tied the game at 3-3 when Crowder pummeled a shot from above the right circle that snuck past Pradel.

Tri-City took just 28 seconds in overtime to get the extra point when Laylin snuck behind the Steel defense for a breakaway and scored five-hole on Louhivaara.

Chicago will open next weekend on the road against Cedar Rapids on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7:05 pm CT.

The Steel will return home the following night and host a Fox Valley Ice Arena Mini Replica Giveaway presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH for the first 500 fans against Green Bay on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7:05 pm CT.

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 20 at Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (7:05 pm CT)
Saturday, February 21 vs. Green Bay Gamblers (7:05 pm CT) | Fox Valley Ice Arena Mini Replica Giveaway (first 500 fans) presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH
Friday, February 27 at Madison Capitols (7:05 pm CT)

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