The Green Bay Gamblers will play the Chicago Steel in a pair of games on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5. This will be a home-and-home series, with the Gamblers hosting the Friday contest at the Resch Center. These will be the sixth and seventh meetings between the teams, and the Gamblers are currently 3-3 against the Steel. The teams last played each other on February 4 at the Resch Center, where the Gamblers beat Chicago with a 3-1 score.
The Gamblers have a 19-21-2-1 record and are currently sixth in the USHL Eastern Division with 41 points. Some players to watch for include Nicholas VanTassell and Luke Weilandt. VanTassell has seen an increase in offensive output, scoring 3 points in his last four games on 2 goals and 1 assist. The rookie forward has also seen success against the Steel in the past, recording 1 goal and 2 assists in their matchups this season. VanTassell also serves as the team’s second-best offensive rookie with 17 points on 10 goals and 7 assists. Weilandt is another player that has increased his production lately, recording 1 assist in each game this past weekend. The Merrimack commit is also another player that has given Chicago troubles offensively, recording 2 assists in their matchups. Look for these players to continue their previous weekend’s success on the offensive side of the puck this Friday and Saturday.
The Steel have a 26-10-7-1 record and are currently first in the USHL Eastern Division with 60 points. Some players to watch for include Jackson Blake and Adam Fantilli. Blake has been a top-three statistical player in the USHL this season with 61 points. The Carolina Hurricanes draftee has also been the best playmaker in the USHL, leading the league in assists with 42. Although assists are the forward’s bread and butter, his goal-scoring is no slouch either with 19 scores on the year. Fantilli isn’t far behind Blake as a top USHL points-getter, as he sits sixth in the league with 53. He is the top scorer in the USHL with 27 goals, including a three-game streak with a goal scored he currently holds. He also has 26 assists on the year with a recent stretch of 7 assists in his last four games. The 2023 NHL Draft prospect is the hottest player for Chicago right now. Blake and Fantilli should be considered the biggest threats the Gamblers will face offensively from the Steel.
Puck drop is at 7:05 PM on Friday at the Resch Center. You can get your tickets at gamblershockey.com.
