Men's Ice Hockey 4/5/2026 12:17:00 AM Calvin Bush

Steel Close Out Fox Valley Ice Arena Tenure

Steel ends 11-year run in Geneva

GENEVA, IL — Chicago came within a goal of erasing a three-goal deficit late in the third period, but couldn't pull off the comeback as the USA Hockey NTDP U17 (17-40-3-2, 39 pts.) downed the Steel (27-27-6-2, 62 pts.) 8-6 at Fox Valley Ice Arena Saturday night.

Playing in their final game in Geneva, the Steel finished their 11-year tenure at Fox Valley Ice Arena with a cumulative attendance of 389,812 fans, scoring 1,279 goals and delivering countless memories for fans.

The Steel honored its fans and billet families in a post-game ceremony that featured video messages from former players and coaches.

The two teams exchanged the first four goals in the opening period before the NTDP scored three times in the middle period to take a two-goal lead. Chicago got back to within one late in the third period, but an empty net tally by the U17s stymied the comeback attempt in the Steel's final game at Fox Valley Ice Arena.

Timo Kazda scored his 21^st and 22^nd goals of the season. Patrick Tolan potted his tenth goal of the year. Dallas Vieau scored his 20^th goal of the season. Adyn Merrick scored his 17^th goal, and Jayden Kurtz tallied his second goal. Louis-Felix Charrois stopped 21 of 26 shots. Veeti Louhivaara entered the crease to start the third period and made five saves.

At 4:50 of the first period, Chicago went to the game's first power play. Moments before it expired, Kazda created space for an odd-man chance and tucked the puck under the left pad of NTDP goalie Nate Chizik to put the Steel ahead 1-0.

Shortly after the midway mark of the period, the NTDP went to the power play and converted when Carter Meyer exited a board battle with the puck and centered to Finnegan Sears, who fired past Charrois to tie the game at 1-1.

The Steel responded three minutes later when Tolan skated in and scored on his own rebound to give Chicago its lead back, 2-1.

The NTDP scored a crucial goal to end the period when Alexander Milojevic wired a wrist shot from the right circle just before the buzzer sounded, tying the game at 2-2.

Chicago recorded its most shots in a period this season in the opening frame, outshooting the NTDP 18-12.

The U17s built on the momentum early in the second frame when Cannon Thibodeau hammered a one-timer from the left faceoff circle off a perfect feed from Benjamin Geiger, giving the NTDP a 3-2 lead.

Thibodeau added his second score just four minutes later on a mini breakaway as he fended off a check and shot past Charrois, making it 4-2.

The Steel pushed back at 9:32 when Kazda also scored his second goal of the night after converging on a rebound in the crease to make it 4-3.

The NTDP went to the man advantage late in the period and got the goal back as Meyer unleashed a wicked wrist shot from the right dot to give the U17s a two-goal lead, 5-3.

The road team closed the gap in the shots department, with Chicago still holding a narrow 27-26 shots lead heading to the third.

The third period featured three goals aside as the Steel nearly erased a three-goal deficit.

Vieau scored just after the halfway mark to get the Steel within one, 5-4.

The NTDP got its two-goal cushion back five minutes later as Brayden Willis recorded his 14^th goal.

Just 24 seconds later, Thibodeau completed the hat trick to give the NTDP a 7-4 lead.

The Steel sparked a comeback attempt less than two minutes later when Merrick scored to make it 7-5.

Chicago pulled Louhivaara shortly after, which led to Kurtz scoring on a shot from the point to get the Steel back within a goal, 7-6.

Louhivaara left the cage again, and Chicago pushed to get the equalizer, but Rocco Pelosi scored on the empty net to stop the comeback.

Season ticket memberships for the Chicago Steel's 2026-2027 inaugural season at USG Arena inside Blackhawks Ice Center are on sale now. Memberships start as low as just $15 per game.

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

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