CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – As the halfway mark approaches in the NAHL, the Chippewa Steel (14-11-2) have three games remaining against the top two teams in the Midwest Division. The Steel look to carry momentum from last week’s sweep over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, their first sweep in over a month, into a weekend home and home series against the Wisconsin Windigo (14-9-4). Friday’s game will take place at the Eagle River Sports Arena and Saturday’s game will be held at the Chippewa Area Ice Arena, puck drop for both games is set for 7:00 PM CT.
TICKET/GAME AND BROADCAST INFORMATION
You can purchase tickets to Friday night by going to the Wisconsin Windigo website by clicking here. General admission and reserved section seats are available. For Saturday’s home game, tickets can be purchase online here or at the door for cash only. If you are unable to make it to the Eagle River or Chippewa Falls, watch the game from the comfort of your own home on NAHLTV. You can watch the Steel all season long on NAHLTV and listen to the “Voice of the Steel” Joey Erickson.
SCOUTING THE STEEL
November was a roller coaster of emotions for the Steel who went 4-4-2 in the month with some lopsided scores not in their favor. However, they did enough to stay in the hunt and after a sweep over Fairbanks last weekend, they sit 3rd in the Midwest Division with 30 points, just five points behind Minnesota. Now winners of three straight, Chippewa is finding their stride heading into the Christmas break. Through 27 games, the Steel have scored 81 times and have been scored on 85 times adding up to a -4 goal differential. They are the only team with a negative goal differential in the top four of the division, in order to stay there it will have to change and lately it has been.
SCOUTING THE WINDIGO
Wisconsin is a high flying offense that bears two of the top five scorers in the league including Maxwell Martin who leads the NAHL with 43 points and Tyler Grahme with 33 points. The Windigo also make teams pay on the man advantage, at 23% on the power play this season, that ranks second in the NAHL, their 29 goals is good enough for first. Wisconsin is coming off a sweep of the Minnesota Wilderness where they put up seven goals against the most stingy team in the Midwest Division. Now in 2nd place with 32 points, they have the ability to hit the halfway mark in the top spot if they continue to win along with the help of others including the Steel who play Minnesota next week.
POWER PLAY SURGE
It’s been no surprise that the Steel’s power play had been really bad to start the season, they hovered around 7% and had just scored three power play goals heading into the month of November. Now the Steel have scored a power play goal in eight out of their last 10 games including the first game with multiple power play goals in an 8-2 victory of Wisconsin two weeks ago. Aidan Willis leads the way with four goals on the man advantage this season.
PITTER PLATTER
Peyton Platter in his 2nd full season with the Steel is en route to shatter his career highs from a season ago. He’s played in all 27 games an accumulated a team leading 25 points consisting of 13 goals and 12 assists. His previous high way 31 points, 17 goals and 14 assists, safe to say he will blow that out of the water this season and the Steel have needed it. The Alaska Fairbanks commit recently had a 10 game point streak snapped where he picked up 12 points that lasted a little under a month.
Stay connected during the season by following the Steel @chippewasteel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and online at chippewasteelhockey.com.