Steel get past Sioux City

In a hard-fought battle between the USHL's top two teams, Chicago's line of Reggie Lutz, Jake Jaremko and Walker Duehr combined for two second-period goals to lead the Steel (23-6-1-3, 50 pts.) past the Sioux City Musketeers (20-8-4-1, 45 pts.) 2-1 Sunday at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Ales Stezka made 25 saves in the victory.

Following a fast-paced but scoreless first period, Jaremko opened the scoring at the 9:55 mark of the second period. Lutz fed a pass to Duehr, whose chance was denied by Sioux City netminder Todd Scott, but Jaremko found the rebound and buried a shot past Scott's glove.

Just prior to the second intermission, the "Mankato Line" of Minnesota State University commits Lutz, Jaremko, and Duehr struck yet again. A wild sequence in the Sioux City zone saw players from both teams scrambling for the bouncing puck. Scott made a couple of acrobatic saves, but Lutz was able to send his own rebound past Scott's glove to give Chicago a 2-0 lead at the break.

Early in the third period, the Musketeers cut Chicago's lead in half when Phillip Knies and Brian Rigali crashed the net, Stezka was spun around at the top of the crease, and the puck rolled into the back of the Steel cage.

Each team came close to recording additional goals in the third period, including Sioux City's Sampo Ranta ringing a blast off the right post, but the 2-1 score held until the final horn as Chicago skated away with its 13th home win of the season.

The Steel outshot Sioux City 37-26. Neither team converted on the power play; Chicago went 0-for-2, while the Musketeers were 0-for-3.