Steel Finish Strong; Miller, Moore and Walsh Recognized
Story By: Steve Jankowski
Bensenville (April 4th, 2009) -- When Andrew Miller (Yale University) tied Andy Miele's single-season goals record on March 24th, no one imagined he wouldn't score again until the last game of the regular season to break it, but with two goals Saturday night in front of the first sell-out crowd in Chicago Steel history, he set a new single season mark of 32 goals.

Mark Anthoine (University of Maine) put Chicago up by one 6:40 into the game, before Miller's record-breaking goal just under six minutes later.

Miller picked up the puck in the neutral zone on left wing and beat a defender to the net where he slipped the puck through Indiana goalie Brett Bennett's pads for his 31st goal of the season.  He later added an empty net goal with 1:11 left in the game to finish the scoring.

Miller has been named the 2008-09 B2 Networks USHL Player of the year and CCM USHL Forward of the Year.

Indiana took advantage of their first power play opportunity late in the first to tie the game on Shane Berschbach's goal.

Three minutes into the second, Greg Wolfe put the Steel back up a pair when he found the rebound of a Brett Kostolansky shot and poked it through Bennett.

Indiana used the power play to score twice in a two minute span to tie the game at three.  Stanislav Galiev one-timed a Mike Cichy feed past Steel netminder Hudson Stremmel to make it 3-2 with 8:28 gone in the second, and just over two minutes later, Cichy found a loose puck to Stremmel's left to tie the game and keep the Ice a perfect 3-for-3 on the power play.

Chicago re-took the lead for good just over five minutes into the final frame.  Jamie Oleksiak shot from the blue line was blocked in front, and Rob Linsmayer (Holy Cross) found the rebound and shot it past Bennett as he was falling to the ice.

Dean Chelios (Michigan State University) finished off a nifty passing play with just over four minutes to go.  Miller carried the puck over the blue line up the middle and he slid a pass to Oleksiak, who found Chelios on the other side of Bennett, and Chelios made no mistake, firing the puck under the crossbar to give Chicago their third two-goal lead of the night.

Indiana's Anthony Bitetto made things interesting a minute later with an unassisted goal with Bennett on the bench for the extra attacker, but Miller's team-record 32nd goal into the empty net sealed Chicago's 31st win of the season.

Miller finished the year with 32 goals, 50 assists, and a USHL-best 82 points.  As a team, the Steel finished the year 31-27-2, good for 64 points.  At home on Saturday night the team improved to 18-10-1, before a team-record crowd of 3,412.

The Chicago Steel would like to thank their fans for a great season, and look forward to the 2009-2010 USHL season, the Steel's 10th in Chicago.  The team is now accepting $10 deposits toward season tickets for the 2009-2010 season.  To place your deposits, call the Steel Ticket Office at 630.594.1165. 

Steel Notes: Defenseman John Moore, committed to Colorado College, was named the ProGuard USHL Defenseman of the Year, and defenseman Mike Walsh, committed to the United States Air Force Academy, was awarded the USHL Curt Hammer Award, given annually to the player who distinguishes himself in the USHL as the most gentlemanly player, both on and off the ice.  The award goes to the individual who best reflects the goals of the USHL, his team and the organization.   

The Chicago Steel congratulates Miller, Moore and Walsh on their league-wide recognition.