By WJBC Staff
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Chicago Steel scored the first two goals of the game and held off Bloomington in the third period to top the Thunder 4-1 on Friday night at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Facing the Steel (5-0-0-0) for the third time in their last four games, the Thunder (1-3-1-0) couldn’t manage more than one goal against Chicago goaltender Tommy Nappier. Nappier stopped 25 of 26 shots, allowing just a lone second period goal to stymie the Thunder and keep the Steel the only unbeaten team in the USHL.
After Chicago scored the first two goals of the game just 1:23 apart in the middle portion of the first period, Bloomington fought back to get within one. Playing in his 116th career game, Captain Tarek Baker (University of Wisconsin) found the back of the net for the second straight game to cut the deficit to 2-1. Now the all-time leader in games played in a Thunder uniform, Baker cut toward the high slot and wristed a shot past Nappier at the 14:22 mark of the first.
Neither team scored for more than a period of game time, but the Steel finally light the lamp again with 2:34 left in the second period to give them a two-goal cushion.
Up until that point in the second period, Bloomington stayed right with the Steel, including killing off a five-on-three power play to generate some momentum. But Nappier turned aside 17 shots over the final two frames to keep the Thunder offense at bay. Both teams finished 0-for-3 on the power play.
Chicago iced the game with Baker Shore’s empty net goal in the final 10 seconds of regulation.
Bloomington goaltender Logan Halladay (Merrimack College) finished the game with 26 saves on 29 shots in his fifth straight start of the season.
The Thunder travel to Green Bay on Saturday to take on the Gamblers. Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m. at the Resch Center.
