Steel-Lumberjacks open pre-season with home and home set

GENEVA, ILLINOIS (Courtesy Chicago Steel) — The 2018-2019 United States Hockey League (USHL) preseason begins this weekend as the Chicago Steel host a home-and-home against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The series opens with a 7:05 p.m. CT puck drop Friday, Sept. 7 at Fox Valley Ice Arena.

Tickets for Steel home preseason games are just $10 and parking is always free at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Friday night marks the first chance for Steel fans to watch the 2018-2019 team in action featuring returning favorites, newly acquired talent and recently drafted young guns.

Following Friday night’s game, the teams will head to Muskegon, Mich. for a 6:15 p.m. CT Saturday contest at L.C. Walker Arena. Steel games are carried live on

Mixlr (free audio) and HockeyTV (iPPV). For more information, visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com/broadcast.

The last time the Steel visited Muskegon, Chicago left with a 5-4 overtime victory to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The two teams battled in a three-game opening round series of the Clark Cup Playoffs with the Steel coming out ahead 2-1.

Among the returning players for the Steel this season, forward Robert Mastrosimone leads the team with five points (2-3) against Muskegon in seven career regular season games.

The Steel have many returning faces from last season who are expected to play during the four-game exhibition schedule in September. Among them are forwards Mastrosimone, Nick Abruzzese, Tim Clifton, Cole Kodsi, Adam Robbins and Travis Treloar as well as defensemen Matteo Pietroniro and John Spetz and goaltender Justin Robbins.

The preseason will also be a first-look at newly acquired players this offseason including veteran USHL defenseman Casey Staum. Staum, who played 73 games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints the last two seasons, was acquired with fellow defenseman Jaden Shields in May. In July, the Steel acquired forwards Josh Groll and Cole Quisenberry as well as defenseman Jimmy Dowd in a trade with the Omaha Lancers. All five are expected to make their Steel debuts Friday.

Steel fans can also check out 2018 USHL Draft Picks like Phase I first-round selection Owen Power (D), Phase II second-round pick Neil Shea (F), third-rounders Matthew Barnaby (F) and Jordon Halverson (D), and fourth-round selection Jake Schmaltz (F).

Rosters are subject to change and players are not guaranteed to dress during the exhibition contests.

Season ticket plans, starting at just 5 games for $45 are on sale now and fans are encouraged to participate in Mini Plan Mania with great weekly prizes through September 28. Single-game tickets start at just $10.