Steel come up short against Dubuque

Dallas Gerads scored the game-winning goal for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (12-6-1-1, 26 pts) Saturday as they skated to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Steel (14-4-1-1, 30 pts.) at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Walker Duehr tallied the lone goal for Chicago, recording his team-leading 11th marker of the season. The loss marked the first time the Steel have fallen in regulation on home ice this season.

Dubuque got on the board first when Jacob Hamacher continued his hot weekend, wristing a shot from the slot past Steel backstopper Ales Stezka at 3:28. The Saints extended their lead to 2-0 when Dallas Gerads positioned himself in the slot, received a pass from Austin Rueschhoff from behind the net, and fired one in at 11:23.

Prior to the intermission, the Steel were able to cut their deficit in half. Walker Duehr fired a slap shot from the center point that beat Dubuque's Jaxon Castor at 18:33. With the goal, Duehr set a new individual career high for goals in a single season.

Dubuque regained its two-goal lead early in the second period. Cole Guttman skated into the zone and fired a shot past Stezka at the 1:21 mark. The Saints carried a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.

Chicago created some of its best power play chances in the third period but were unable to light the lamp, as the Fighting Saints held on for the two-goal victory to even the season series at one win apiece.