Steel win in OT. 3-2. @ChicagoSteel #WhosNext @USHL #ClarkCup #WeAreSteel pic.twitter.com/iJ3ewUuf0Z

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile) May 5, 2019

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The Steel and Muskegon Lumberjacks fought a tightly contested battle in game four of the Clark Cup Eastern Conference Final. The teams played to a 0–0 deadlock after two periods until the third-period fireworks began.

Chicago opened the scoring on a Nick Abruzzese five-on-three power play goal, off a great feed from captain and power play quarterback Matteo Pietroniro, at the 5:25 mark of the period. The one-timer from the right circle narrowly eluded Muskegon goalie Brandon Bussi, who played a solid game, despite only seeing 16 Steel shots on net.

The Lumberjacks answered with a powerplay goal of their own from 2019 NHL draft prospect Egor Afanasyev assisted by Blackhawks prospect Mikael Hakkarainen. Afanasyev, the league’s 10th-leading scorer in the regular season, had been very quiet in the series before his goal.

The teams traded goals from Fontaine and Ryan Savage in the final 10 minutes, with the Lumberjacks tying the game with just 30 seconds remaining in regulation. As a result, the fans in Geneva, Illinois, were treated to overtime playoff hockey.

Fonataine was not finished with his big night just yet, though. While not giving up any shots on net in the overtime, the Steel pressured Muskegon hard with an intense forecheck from the drop of the puck. One minute and thirteen seconds into the extra time, Fontaine intercepted an errant rebound up the middle of the Muskegon zone and pushed the puck through two defenders. He set up his shot and snapped the puck past Bussi for the game (and series) winner.

OVERTIME SERIES WINNER!
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine sends the @chicagosteel to the Clark Cup Final! #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/wsTpmFnhU3

— USHL (@USHL) May 5, 2019

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While Fontaine, Robert Mastrosimone and Abruzzese grabbed the headlines on the scoresheets, goaltender Justin Robbins played his second straight stellar game in goal for the Steel. He saved 65 of 68 shots (.955 save percentage) on net in games three and four. In games one and two, Robbins stopped 64 of 71 shots (.901 save percentage).

With the win, Chicago will travel to face the Western Conference Champion Sioux Falls Stampede in the best-of-five series beginning Friday, May 10 and will return to the Fox Valley Ice Arena for Game 3 on Friday, May 17 and Game 4, if necessary, on Saturday, May 18.

Clark Cup Final tickets will go on sale Tuesday, May 7 at the Steel box office, by phone at 855-51-STEEL or online at ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com. Tickets start at just $10 and fans can catch the action up close with seats on the glass available for just $20. The group ticket minimum for Clark Cup Playoff games is just 10 people, and the Budweiser Lounge and Steel Suites are available for playoff games by calling 855-51-STEEL.

The post The Steel Deal: Steel headed to Clark Cup Final after thrilling overtime win appeared first on The Rink.

Nick Abruzzese earned an All-USHL First Team spot after leading the league in scoring with 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) in only 62 games. The Harvard University commit’s 80 points was the second-highest point total in franchise history. Abruzzese broke the franchise record for assists in a season with his 51 and became just the third Steel player to reach 100 points during his career with the franchise.

Team captain Matteo Pietroniro broke the franchise’s single-season goal mark for a defenseman with his 18 goals this season in earning All-USHL Second Team honors. The Boise, Idaho, native finished tied for seventh among USHL defenseman in goals. Pietroniro now holds the Steel record for defenseman in a career with 27 goals. With 70 assists total with the Steel, he also ranks second all-time in franchise history.

Forward Robert Mastrosimone scored 31 goals this season to bring his career total to a franchise record 47 goals, earning him All-USHL Third Team honors. Mastrosimone also recorded his 100th career point this season to join Abruzzese. The Boston University commit also finished his career with 58 assists placing him seventh all-time in Chicago franchise history.

Rookie defenseman Owen Power was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team after a record season for the youngster. The 16-year-old scored 11 goals this season, although starting the season at only 15 years of age, and registered 25 points for the season. Power was fourth in the league this season among all defensemen with his 11 goals.

General Manager Ryan Hardy was named the 2018–19 USHL General Manager of the Year in his rookie season in the role after spending the previous two season scouting for the Boston Bruins.

“Our goals in Chicago are, first and foremost, to facilitate the development of talented hockey players and, secondly, to compete for the Clark Cup,” Hardy said. “Garnering personal accolades is not relevant in our program. While I am appreciative of the recognition from my peers, this honor does not reflect the work of one individual, but rather the talent, hard work and passion of the coaching staff, hockey operations department and, most importantly, every one of the players who have donned the Chicago Steel crest this season.”

Hardy joins an excellent group of rookie general managers to have won the award. Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper won the award in 2008–09 with the Green Bay Gamblers. Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery also won the award with the Dubuque Fighting Saint in 2010–11.

Hardy is quick to deflect the attention to rookie head coach Greg Moore, associate head coach Brock Sheahan, Director of Player Personnel Tristan Musser, Director of Hockey Operations Chris Hoeler, assistant coach Mike Garman, strength and conditioning coach Virgil Strzelecki, Athletic Trainer Jim Schroader and Equipment Manager Parker Hoffman.

“If there is one aspect of this season that I take the most personal pride in, it would be the identification and procurement of our coaching staff, who are more responsible for this honor than I am,” Hardy said.

The post Abruzzese, Pietroniro, Mastrosimone, Power and Hardy earn USHL end-of-season awards appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John “Double J” Jaeckel are joined by The-Rink Junior / Chicago Steel writer Ray Napientek to talk about the Blackhawks and the Steel.

• We have a new review (thanks Mark from Algonquin)
• The Blackhawks are basically eliminated “officially” from the postseason
• Chad Krys and Jack Ramsey enter the organization
• More talk about what the team needs to do this summer
• What is going on with the Chicago Steel?
• Stan Bowman talk, Dylan Sikura talk
• We answer some listener and reader questions

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The Rinkcast is brought to you by the Overtime Podcast Network

The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 49 – Steel Deal appeared first on The Rink.

The Boise, ID native registered five points (3 goals, 2 assists) in the three games. The left-handed shooting defenseman also recorded a +6 rating over the week. With 14 goals this season, Pietroniro leads all USHL defensemen, trailing by one point for the overall lead with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists).

The honor is the third for the Chicago Steel organization this season. Goaltender Reilly Herbst and center Nick Abruzesse both received honors for the first week of December. Abruzesse was named USHL forward of the Week, while Herbst garnered USHL Goalie of the Week.

USHL Defenseman of the Week Matteo Pietroniro (@ChicagoSteel) found the back of the net in all three of his games en route to a five-point week.https://t.co/EQo4JXMoxb #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/Vj11tAtIPx

— USHL (@USHL) January 28, 2019

The post Pietroniro Named USHL Defenseman of the Week appeared first on The Rink.

On December 28, Pietroniro became the all-time leader in goals for a Steel defenseman. With his nineteenth career goal, he surpassed current New Jersey Devils veteran defenseman John Moore and Kevin Roeder, who played four years at Miami University before joining the Cincinnati Cyclones for two seasons.

Matteo Pietroniro is as good of a captain as I’ve been around at any level. Our team does not function without his leadership. At the end of the season, some franchise is going to add a truly special player/person. #MenOfSteel https://t.co/z6mkXjgKIL

— Ryan Hardy (@ryanphardy) January 11, 2019

The 20-year old Steel captain and Boise, ID native sits at second amongst USHL defenseman in points. He has registered 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) placing him one point behind the league leader, and also leads the team in game-winning goals with four.  Pietroniro has shown invaluable leadership when it matters most this season after finishing last season as the Steel alternate captain. The second-year veteran also leads the Steel defenseman with 68 shots, placing him second on the team behind forward Neil Shea.

Hockey runs in the Pietroniro family

Matteo’s father, Marco, spent over 10 seasons playing professionally in both Europe and the United States, following a successful QMJHL career with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs.  After retiring in 2000-01, the elder Pietroniro jumped behind the bench in 2004-05 as head coach / general manager. Most recently, Marco was hired as the Manager of Hockey Operations at Bishop’s College in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Marco Pietroniro has been on hockey’s radar from as far back as 1986, when he began his QMJHL career with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs. He served as their captain the following two seasons and enjoyed a further 11-year professional career, playing in both European leagues and the WCHL. During his last year of play with the Idaho Steelheads of the WCHL, he also began coaching and founded a non-profit Youth Hockey program for young players from Atom to Midget. Since his retirement as a player, he has carved out an impressive coaching career throughout North America, in both league and national team capacities. Notable placements include a seven-year tenure as the President, GM, and Head Coach of the CHL’s Arizona Sundogs; Head Coach of Team Quebec’s 2015 Canada Games U16 team; and Head Coach of Team Canada’s U17 2015-2016 campaign. He has also coached in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), as Assistant Coach of the Val d’Or Foreurs (winning the President’s Cup in 2014) and Head Coach of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

Not only is his father deeply rooted in the world of international professional hockey but his brothers Massimo (16), Kris (18), Chad (22) and Phil (24) all play hockey at high levels. Massimo and Kris both play at Bishop’s College, under Marco, while Chad and Phil play in Italy for Asiago in the AlpsHL.  During his time in the QMJHL, Matteo played one season with his brother Chad for Baie-Comeau, and skated against his brother, Phil, during one season, as well.

His left-handed shot from the back end paced Baie-Comeau Drakkar for two seasons, after skating ten games for the Blainville-Boisbraind Armada in his first stint in the QMJHL.  In 2016, he left the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and took his game to the USHL with the Steel.

Matteo Pietroniro takes a knee and scores the insurance goal @ChicagoSteel lead by with under 2⃣ min left #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/tnCfwLhFqG

— USHL (@USHL) December 1, 2018

Following his first season in the USHL, the middle Pietroniro son was ranked one of the top 200 draft prospects in last summer’s 2018 NHL Entry Draft and projected to go in the 7th round.  No NHL teams took a chance on him last summer, but they can make up for that mistake this summer.

Pietroniro is not just a textbook offensive-minded defenseman.  He has shown that he has a responsible well-positioned game in his own end, as well, and his active stick skills might be his most notable on-ice attribute.  At 6’1” 185 pounds, Matteo does not shy away from mixing it up with bigger forwards around the net and in the corners, as displayed by his team leading 138 penalty minutes last season. He also lead the Steel this season with 88 penalty minutes.  He is no stranger to the occasional on-ice bout, either, with several fights on record.

As the Chicago Steel push for another Clark Cup, Pietrinoro’s veteran leadership will be invaluable for this young team’s success. They have the talent on offense with Mastrosimone and Nick Abruzzese, but they will need their captain will continue to lead by example night in and night out to make another deep playoff run.

Matteo Pietroniro cashes in from the the slot! @ChicagoSteel on the board first #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/8fwszVXOW7

— USHL (@USHL) December 29, 2018

The post Captain Matteo Pietroniro’s All-Around Game Leads Steel appeared first on The Rink.