Chicago Wins 8th Straight
Story By: Steve Jankowski
Bensenville (February 27th, 2009) -- The month of February has been kind to the Chicago Steel, and they stayed perfect in the second month of calendar year 2009 with a 3-2 shootout win over first place Cedar Rapids on Friday night at the Edge Ice Arena.

The Steel drew first blood on a late first period power play when Josh Balch (Yale University) controlled the puck along the right-wing boards and sent it to Dean Chelios (Michigan State University).  Chelios redirected Balch's pass past Cedar Rapids goalie Troy Grosenick for a 1-0 Chicago lead after 20 minutes.

Cedar Rapids got that goal back early on in the second.  Steel netminder Hudson Stremmel dove head long to poke a loose puck away, but Cedar Rapids' Mike Seidel picked it up.  The RoughRiders top scorer easily deposited it into the open goal to even the score at one apiece.  Stremmel stopped 40 shots on the night.

Chicago regained the lead 23 seconds into the third when Balch found a loose puck to the left of Grosenick and he roofed it over Grosenick's pad for his 15th goal of the year.  Andrew Miller (Yale University) picked up his USHL-best 42nd assist on the play, and he now has a league-high 69 points this season.

Chicago was about to earn their eighth straight win, but a late power play gave the visitors new life.  Stremmel made several key saves early in the power play, but the RoughRiders pulled their goalie with just under two minutes to go.  Their gamble paid off when Scott Winkler flipped a loose puck over Stremmel with 1:11 left in regulation to tie the game at two.

Neither team dented the net in the five-minute overtime, and the teams headed to the shootout; the first at the Edge Ice Arena this year. 

After the first five shooters for each side, the teams were knotted at two.  In the sixth round, Stremmel stopped Jared Rickord, giving Balch a chance to win it.  He found the back of the net, giving the Steel their eighth consecutive win.  Coupled with Indiana's victory over Waterloo, the Steel are three points back of the Black Hawks, and Waterloo has one game in hand.

The Steel return to action Saturday night against the West Division leading Lincoln Stars at 7:30 p..m.  Tickets for all Steel home games can be ordered by calling the Steel Box Office at 630.594.1165.