CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – November is here and comes at the perfect time for the Chippewa Steel (8-7-0) who lost four straight games to the Minnesota Wilderness to end October. A new month brings a new opponent in the Wisconsin Windigo (8-7-2) and a heavy road schedule for the Steel who do not return home until Thanksgiving weekend. Friday and Saturday’s games on Nov. 3 and 4 will be held at the Eagle River Sports Arena in Eagle River, WI, with puck drop at 7:00 PM CM.
TICKET/GAME AND BROADCAST INFORMATION
You can purchase tickets to Friday and Saturday by going to the Wisconsin Windigo website by clicking here. General admission and reserved section seats are available for both day. If you are unable to make it to the Eagle River Sports Arena, 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
After losing four in a row the Steel now sit in 6th place in the Midwest Division with 16 points tied with Fairbanks and eight points behind first place. The lack of offense has contributed to the skid, during their seven game winning streak the Steel scored four or more in six of the seven games. Since then the Steel have been shutout in three of their last four games managing to score three only once. Special teams specifically the penalty kill has not helped the cause either, the Steel surrendered seven power play goals and only cashed in once on the man advantage. This weekend will be a great test and a much needed reset as the Steel look to get back in the win column.
SCOUTING THE WINDIGO
The Windigo are in 4th place with 18 points coming off an Alaska trip where they went 2-2-1 in five games against Kenai River and Anchorage. Through 17 games Wisconsin has a goal differential of plus six and have scored six power play goals in the last five games. Rookie Maxwell Martin is the leading scorer with 28 points, the Windigo have two others who have reached the 20 point plateau in Tyler Grahame and Will Schumacher. In net, Linards Lipskis has been solid for the Windigo in his 13 games accumulating a 2.83 GAA and 0.910 SV% with a 7-3-2 record.
RETURN OF THE KELLY
Veteran Joe Kelly returns the lineup after missing the last two games with an upper body injury and should provide much needed offense. In his first 12 games, Kelly collected 13 points including eight goals and five assists and has been a staple on a line with Jacob Ligi and Aidan WIllis. With lots of changes in the lineup in recent weeks it will be nice to have some familiar faces back.
POWER PLAY SPECIALIST
Erick Comstock and Martin for the Windigo have been monsters on the man advantage so far with nine and 11 points respectively. Comstock a defensemen is the quarterback on their number one unit and has 16 points to lead all Windigo D-Men in 17 games. The Steel will have to stay disciplined and be diligent on the penalty kill this weekend in Eagle River.
Stay connected during the season by following the Steel @chippewasteel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and online at chippewasteelhockey.com.