Steel take bronze at JCWC

Tanner Laczynski‘s goal with 2:10 to go snapped a 2-2 and lifted the Chicago Steel to a 3-2 win in the Bronze Medal game at the Junior Club World Cup tournament held at various sites in Russia Aug. 24-30.

The goal wrapped up a 4-1 record at the event for the Steel and the USHL’s fourth medal in four events, including bronze in each of the past three seasons.

Gold has eluded the top junior league in the USA in its four appearances at this event (Silver for Waterloo in 2012, bronze for Dubuque and Sioux City 2013-14 respectively), but the Steel turned in a an awesome run this time around.’

The only team to exit pool play with a perfect 3-0 record, The Steel started out with a 3-0 shutout win over Snezhnye Barsy from Kazakhstan and then picked up a 3-2 edge against HC Riga of Latvia which clinched a berth in the medal rounds.

The Steel wrapped up pool play with an impressive 6-1 win in an at times chippy contest against Avto, one of two Russian teams in the event.

The lone defeat of the week for the Steel came in its medal round semi-final when Djurgadens of Sweden  batteled back from an early deficit with four straight goals on its way to a 5-2 win and a berth in the Gold Medal game.

Meanwhile, the two Russian teams went head-to-head in the other semi-final and Chaika earned the other Gold Medal spot with a 5-2 win against Avto.

Here a is a quick summary of each game for the Steel.

Steel 3 Snezhnye Baysy 0

The Steel opened up play in the tournament against the Kazakhstan rep, putting away a close one with two third period markers.

Jake Jaremko, a ’96 from Nowthen, MN scored the opening goal which stood up as the game winner with assists from Charlie Raith and Max Zimmer, who both also went on to add goals in the third period. Jaremko is commited to Minnesota State, Mankato next season.

Raith is a ’97 from Winnetka, IL who will attend Colorado College next year and Zimmer is a ’97 from Medina, MN who has commited to Wisconsin in 2017.

Steel 3 HC Riga 2

The Latvian squad gave the Steel a tough match, Zimmer’s goal with just over five to go breaking a 2-2 draw and ultimately standing up as the came winner.

The Steel grabbed a 2-1 edge in the opening period with goals from Ryan Blankemeier, a ’96 from Oak Park, IL and Brandon Duhaime, a ’97 from Parkland, FL who has committed to Brown University for the 2017 season.

After a scoreless middle period, Riga pulled even with a goal seven minutes into the third, setting the stage for Zimmer’s game winner.

Steel 6 Avto 1

The Steel actually trailed this one briefly after a goal for the Russian side just past the halfway mark of the first period.

Duhaiame drew the Steel even just 39 seconds later and Zimmer’s first of two just a couple of minutes later gave the Steel a lead it would not relinquish.

The Steel blew the game open with three unanswered middle period markers, the first by Zimmer and others by Raith and Marcel Godbout, a ’96 from Center Line, MI who will be attending Michigan State University next season.

Jaremko rounded out the scoring with the lone third period tally.

This one got a little ugly down the stretch with a hard hit triggering a line brawl and tough defensive pressure that resulted in several penalty calls against the Steel.

Daniel Vladar, a ’97 from Prague, Czech Republic and Joel Lethemon, a ’96 from Northville, MI who will attend Michigan State next season handled a lot of the work in goal.

Both the Steel and Avto entered the final pool game with matching 2-0 records, so the win boosted the Steel into top spot heading into the playoff round. On the other side, three times finished at 2-1 with top spot going to Russia’s Chaika and second to Djurgadens based on goal differential. A 5-0 loss in its finale so TPS Turku of Finland who entered the day with a 2-0 record fall all of the way to third and out of medals.

Djurgardens 5 Steel 2 

The Swedish squad spoiled an awesome week for the Steel, charging back from a 1-0 deficit after a period with three unanswered second period markers and another early in the third before Duhaime notched his second goal of the contest.

Duhaime’s second got the Steel to within a pair with nearly 14 minutes to go, but the Swedes restored the three goal edge just a couple of minutes later and was able to carry that cushion to the finish line.

Steel 3 Avto 2

Things weren’t nearly as easy for the Steel in its rematch with Avto, but in the end, the team was able to get the job done.

After a scoreless opening frame, it was Duhaime with his fourth goal of the tournament and third straight for the Steel opening the scoring 20 seconds into the second period.

Avto scored the next two before Zimmer’s powerplay goal evened things late in the second period and set the stage for Laczynski, a ’97 from Shorewood, IL who is in his second year with the Steel before moving on to Ohio State next fall.

The Steel will return to the Windy City now and begin preparation for what should be a succesful season in the USHL.

The team will take part in a pre-season Regional event in Madison Sept. 19-20 and opens the regular season Sept. 26 against the US National Development Team U-17 Squad at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, IL.