BENSENVILLE, Ill – The motto for the 2009-2010 USHL Chicago Steel is “Decade of Determination”. The Steel certainly showed more than that, as they defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede Friday night by a score of 1-0. Steel goaltender Connor Wilson was brilliant; recording his first USHL shutout. One could say this game was full of contradictions. Coach Kevin Hartzell’s Stampede came into the game with a 23-10-10 record. Their speedy and disciplined game is on the upswing in the Western Division. Conversely, Steel coach and GM Steve Poapst’s team has been battling mental mistakes all season. Going into this game, the Eastern Division Steel were languishing with a 16-21-5 record. Steel goaltender Nick Pisellini has played the brunt of the season. Would starting Steel back-up goaltender Connor Wilson in net help change the Steel’s fortunes? It certainly did. The 2,000 plus fans at the Edge Arena were treated to exciting, non-stop action in the first period. No scoring, but great goaltending. Early on, Steel goaltender Wilson stopped a wrister by Stampede forward Matthew Bailey. Three minutes later, Wilson made a brilliant glove hand stop on a slapper by Stampede’s forward Jacob Johnstone. At 7:48 of the first, Stampede defenseman Conor Allen was called for tripping. Stampede goaltender Clay Witt was great in net; countering many high percentage shots including a quick wrister by the Steel’s forward Cole Gunner. The first period ended 0-0. The steady, intense play coupled by great goaltending continued in the second period. With the Stampede on a power play, goaler Witt made a great stick save on a breakaway attempt by Steel penalty killer Darik Angeli. Steel goaltender Wilson countered with a quick glove save against the Stampede’s Chad Ruhwedel. As they say in hockey and crime, Chad Ruhwedel was robbed. Following intense offensive pressure by both teams, the Steel’s Cole Gunner broke the ice with a wrister that got past the glove hand side of Stampede goaler Clay Witt. That was Gunner’s sixth goal of the season. credit Peter Hand and Ian Young with assists. 1-0 Steel at the end of the second period. Credit Steel coach Steve Poapst for helping improve goaler Connor Wilson’s overall game and GAA average. As Coach Poapst put it, “Connor is only 5’10”. He has to compensate with more aggressiveness. And he’s got to keep his glove hand up”. Would the improvement in Wilson’s game continue through the third period? Wilson was tested right out of the gate in the beginning of the third period. Early on he made two brilliant close-up stick saves against the Stampede’s Johnstone and Bailey. Both saves coming within a time span of fifteen seconds. Later in the third, Wilson followed with a leg save off of a shot by Johnstone during a Stampede powerplay. Perhaps the save of the game followed three minutes later as Steel goaler Wilson robbed the Stampede’s Matt Bailey of an up close and personal tip in attempt. The crowd roared as if a goal had just been scored. Stampede goaltender Clay Witt countered with four minutes to go in the third; thwarting a tip-in attempt by Steel forward Jake Chelios. With one minute to go in the third period, Stampede coach Kevin Hartzell called a time out. During the break, Steel coach Poapst advised his team “play smart hockey. Plug up the crease. And take a penalty if you have to”. The Steel countered the final challenge by the Stampede and came out victorious 1-0. As Coach Poabst told me afterwards, “Connor Wilson was fantastic in net tonight. He swallowed everything they threw at him. He made some great saves. Most importantly, the number of team mistakes was minimal”. Rightly so, Steel goaltender Connor Wilson was named star of the game. He stopped 37 shots; while Stampede goaler Clay Witt stopped 27 of 28 attempts. With the 1-0 victory, the Steel’s record improves to 17-21-5. The Stampede record is 23-11-10. You can contact the author at TOM.MILLER@PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM
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