General 3/11/2026 8:42:00 AM Calvin Bush

Steel Host 11th Annual Teddy Bear Toss This Saturday

Chicago faces Muskegon in home-and-home series as playoff push intensifies

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — With three consecutive wins and five of the last seven, the Chicago Steel will continue their playoff chase while hosting one of junior hockey's most iconic traditions with the team's 11^th Annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Geneva Family Dental on Saturday, March 14 at 6:05 pm CT. The Steel will begin the weekend on the road in Muskegon on Friday, March 13 at 6:10 pm CT.

Fans are invited to bring new or unused stuffed animals on Saturday to toss onto the ice following the first Steel goal. All donated bears will be given to local charities, including League of Enchantment and the Marklund Hyde Center. Over the past ten seasons, Steel fans have contributed nearly 4,000 teddy bears through this beloved annual tradition.

Last weekend, the Steel (25-20-6-2, 58 pts.) put together their first three-game winning streak since mid-January with a pair of wins over Waterloo on March 6 and March 8, and an impressive victory in Dubuque in between on March 7.

Jackson Crowder had a hand in all of Chicago's scoring in the weekend's opening game with the first goal of the night followed by the primary assist on each of the final four goals. Adyn Merrick scored halfway through the third period to give Chicago a 3-2 lead for his second career game-winning goal. Brady Kudrick scored twice, including a power play goal, and Ryland Rooney added a late power play tally. Veeti Louhivaara stopped 23 of 25 shots.

Chicago turned in one of its best performances of the season the following night with a 5-1 win over Dubuque, which had scored four goals in three consecutive home games entering the matchup. Timo Kazda and Crowder scored twice, accompanied by a goal from Luke Goukler to give the Steel their first win in Dubuque since March 26, 2022. Louhivaara stopped 22 of 23 shots in net.

The Steel grinded out a 3-2 win over Waterloo to close out the weekend. Merrick opened the scoring in the first period, followed by an early goal in the third period from Kazda. Waterloo was issued a major penalty late in regulation for the second time in three games, and James Scantlebury sniped the game-winner. Louhivaara recorded his third consecutive victory with 22 saves on 24 shots.

The Steel find themselves outside the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference entering the weekend, trailing Madison by just three points with a game in hand. The Capitols will battle the USA Hockey NTDP U18 team at home for a pair of games this weekend.

Chicago has been clicking over the last five games, outscoring opponents 19-8 in that span while allowing two or fewer goals in eight of the last 11 games. It has scored a power play goal in three of the last five games and has scored the game's first goal in four straight.

Crowder's shining weekend earned him USHL Forward of the Week for the second time this season. The Washington Capitals prospect recorded eight points (3G-5A) in three games and he played in his 100^th USHL game on March 8. He recorded his first career five-point game on March 6, becoming the first Steel player to score five points in a game since Michael Hage and Joey DelGreco each recorded five points in a 9-7 win at Madison on Nov. 10, 2023.

Since Jan. 24, Crowder has recorded a point in 12 of 16 games and has 23 points in that span. He has not gone more than one game without a point in that span and has five multi-point games. He has 12 points (7G-5A) in the last six games and has the USHL's longest active road goal streak (4 Gms., 7G) and has the second-longest active road point streak (6 Gms., 7G-2A).

Louhivaara also took home hardware following his three-win weekend, earning USHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this year. The New Jersey Devils prospect stopped 67 of 72 shots over three games and did not allow more than two goals. It's the third time since the Finnish netminder joined the Steel on Dec. 22 that he has recorded three consecutive wins.

Chicago will be without Louhivaara this weekend (personal matters) and will turn to Louis-Felix Charrois to help continue its playoff push. Charrois' last start came on Feb. 14 when he stopped 25 of 28 shots in a loss to Tri-City. The Canadian netminder has allowed three or fewer goals in six of his last ten appearances, highlighted by a dazzling performance in Madison on Jan. 17, stopping 42 of 43 shots in a grueling 2-1 shootout victory.

Kazda potted three points in each of Chicago's last two games last weekend for his first two three-point games of his career. The Boston College commit ranks fifth in USHL rookie scoring with 32 points and has the second-most goals in that category (17). He also has the second-most shots (128) among rookies.

Providence commit Marco Senerchia has strung together his first USHL three-game point streak (4A), including two helpers on March 8 for his first career multi-point game.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks (32-20-0-1, 65 pts.) were swept by Lincoln at home last weekend, held to two goals in each outing. The Lumberjacks led after one period on March 6 but allowed three goals in the middle frame and two more in the third in a 5-2 loss. The teams exchanged the first four goals on March 7 to take a 2-2 tie into the second period, but a late Lincoln goal in the middle frame and an empty net tally in the third handed Muskegon a 4-2 defeat.

Muskegon has dropped five consecutive home games and eight of its last ten home matchups. In their last 13 home games, the Lumberjacks have scored more than three goals just five times and have allowed opponents to score four or more goals in five straight home outings.

Veteran forward Drew Stewart enters the weekend on an eight-game point streak, the league's second-longest active streak. The Dartmouth commit has 14 points (3G-11A) during his streak and has assisted in eight straight. He has also recorded an assist in six consecutive home games (8A), tied for the longest home assist streak in the USHL this season. Stewart leads Muskegon in points (54), goals (24), power play points (19P-8G-11A) and shots (146).

Muskegon has the USHL's top three active home point streaks, with Stewart, Viktor Norringer, and Melvin Novotny all scoring a point in six straight games on home ice. Norringer has pointed in four consecutive games (5G-4A), as has Novotny (1G-6A). Norringer has pointed in 14 of the last 15 games (22P-5G-17A) and has not gone more than one game without a point since Oct. 3.

The Steel are 53-48-7-0 all-time against Muskegon, 25-23-4-0 on the road, and 28-25-3-0 at home. After the Lumberjacks won the first matchup of the season on Nov. 9, Chicago earned three of four wins against Muskegon during a four-game stretch at the end of January, limiting the Lumberjacks to three or fewer goals in each win. Jackson Crowder recorded a four-point game with a hat trick in a 6-3 home win over Muskegon on Feb. 1 and has scored a point in each of the last four games against the Lumberjacks. This weekend's matchups are the final scheduled games between the two teams this season.

The next home matchup for the Steel after this weekend is Friday, March 20, against Youngstown for Military Appreciation Night presented by Ozinga. The game kicks off a three-game home weekend for Chicago. The Steel will wear special camouflage jerseys for the night, which will be auctioned online. Net proceeds from the auction will benefit Wounded Warrior Project.

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, March 13 at Muskegon Lumberjacks (6:10 pm CT)
Saturday, March 14 vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (6:05 pm CT) | 11th Annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Geneva Family Dental
Friday, March 20 vs. Youngstown Phantoms (7:05 pm CT) | Military Appreciation Night presented by Ozinga | Special Jersey Auction to benefit Wounded Warrior Project

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