Contact Dan Vatch FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Phone 630-517-3872 Email [email protected] February 24, 2021

STEEL VISIT WESTERN CONFERENCE OPPONENTS THIS WEEKEND Steel look to sweep season series against Des Moines and Waterloo

GENEVA, ILLINOIS — The (23-8-2-0; 48 pts.) will venture to Western Conference arenas for the only time this season as they look to sweep a pair of season series with Des Moines and Waterloo.

Chicago, the first-place team in the USHL, faces off against the at 7:00 pm CT on Friday, Feb. 26 at Wells Fargo Arena before traveling to Young Arena for a Saturday night clash against the at 6:05 pm CT.

Steel forwards Sean Farrell and Matt Coronato both enter the weekend on the verge of Steel history as they climb up the franchise scoring lists.

Farrell trails Dan Charleston (Steel 2002-2005) by just two helpers for the all-time franchise lead. Farrell has registered 81 helpers over 76 games played for Chicago.

Coronato needs three goals to reach 48 career markers and overtake Robert Mastrosimone (Steel 2017-2019) for sole possession of first place on the all-time Chicago goals list.

The Steel own 5-1 victories against both Des Moines (Feb. 11) and Waterloo (Jan. 16) in games at Fox Valley Ice Arena previously this season.

The Buccaneers are led by Alex Laferriere who tops the club with 15 goals this season. The 6- foot-1, 181-pound forward is committed to Harvard University along with Steel forwards Coronato and Farrell as well as Chicago blueliners Jack Bar and Ian Moore. Laferriere was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (#83 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Des Moines has won its two games since the loss to the Steel on Feb. 11, combining for 14 goals in victories over Sioux Falls and Waterloo last weekend. Laferrierre tallied a total of five goals and two assists in the wins.

Black Hawks forward Wyatt Schingoethe tallied the lone for Waterloo in the Jan. 16 loss to the Steel. Schingoethe, a native of Algonquin, Ill., was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round (#195 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, just 15 picks after Steel forward Joe Miller was taken by Toronto. The Western Michigan University commit has tallied eight goals and six helpers over 23 appearances this season.

Waterloo has won two of its last three games on home ice at Young Arena, one of the toughest environments in the USHL for visiting teams.

The Steel won two out of three games on the road last week. Chicago fell in a 5-4 loss against Team USA (U18) on Feb. 19 but bounced back with two wins in as many nights to finish the three game weekend. Matt Coronato tallied two goals including the game winner in a 5-4 overtime victory against the on Feb. 20 and Mackie Samoskevich

potted the overtime marker in his return to the Steel lineup to beat Team USA (U17) 4-3 in the extra frame on Feb. 21.

Chicago’s schedule includes three road games in as many days after the Western Conference stretch as the Steel face off against the for two games on March 5 & 6 before a clash against Team USA (U18) on March 7 in Plymouth, Mich.

Chicago Steel games can be heard on Mixlr at http://mixlr.com/chicago-steel/ (FREE AUDIO) and video may be streamed on available devices through HockeyTV at www.hockeytv.com (STREAM).

Chicago Steel Upcoming Games presented by Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush: Friday, February 26 at Des Moines Buccaneers (7:00 pm CT) Saturday, February 27 at Waterloo Black Hawks (6:05 pm CT) Friday, March 5 at Muskegon Lumberjacks (6:00 pm CT)

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

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