Moldenhauer Registers First USHL Hat Trick in Wild 6-4 Win over Madison
October 8, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Chicago Steel News Release
MIDDLETON, WISCONSIN– After jumping out to a 4-0 lead through the first two periods, the
Chicago Steel (4-2-0-0; 8 pts.) withstood a barrage of four third-period goals from the Madison
Capitols (2-3-0-0; 4 pts.) for a 6-4 victory at Bob Suter’s Capitol Ice Arena in Wisconsin
Saturday night.
Steel forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Moldenhauer led the way for Chicago with
his first career USHL hat trick while Jack Harvey added a pair of goals.
Michael Emerson picked up a marker and Jack Stark made 42 saves between the Steel pipes,
matching a career-best to earn his second win of the season.
The Steel waited until late in the first to register the game’s first goal, and it was not an easy
one.
After multiple stuff attempts on Madison goaltender Eino Rissanen, Steel forward Michael
Emerson was finally the one who put it home, his third of the year, giving Chicago a 1-0 edge
just before the first intermission.
The Steel seemed to take control of the game in the second period with an all-around effort from
offense, defense and goaltending.
Just over a minute into the period, Jack Harvey and Chris Delaney initiated an aggressive
forecheck, forcing a turnover that trickled to the right-wing boards. Steel defenseman Nolan
Joyce corralled the puck and found Harvey boxing out his defender on the doorstep. Harvey
poked the puck past Rissanen to double the lead.
Steel forward and USHL-leading goal scorer Nick Moldenhauer separated Chicago even further
from Madison with a pair of goals just over four minutes apart late in the second.
Thanks to crafty stick detail from Cameron Johnson, Chicago forced a Madison defensive-zone
turnover that ended up on the stick of Mick Thompson on the doorstep. Thompson could not
find an opening but drifted away from the net before turning to fire a pass that found
Moldenhauer alone in the slot. Moldenhauer pounded a one-timer before Rissanen could react,
giving Chicago a 3-0 lead.
Moldenhauer connected with fellow Canadian-born forwards for his second of the game when
Macklin Celebrini sent a stretch pass to Jayden Perron late in the second period. Perron
possessed the puck behind the Steel end line and somehow managed to wrap a pass to
Moldenhauer who was ready to shoot on the left side of the crease. Moldenhauer found daylight
from an almost impossible angle, ballooning the advantage to 4-0 heading into the third period.
Through two periods, Capitols forward Quinn Finley accounted for the majority of
Madison’s
best scoring chances including multiple shots on goal from in tight on Stark that were soaked up
by the Steel netminder. Although Finley was credited with six shots through the first 40 minutes,
Stark was equal to the tall task of denying his former teammate.
Madison started the third with an all-out surge, scoring twice in the first four minutes of the
period to get right back into the contest.
With traffic in front of the net, Capitols defenseman Ethan Elias teed off from the right point as
the puck changed direction, giving Stark no time to react before the puck found the back of the
net, Elias’ first goal in the USHL.
Capitols forward Matthew McGroarty benefitted from a bouncing puck heading into the Capitols
offensive zone down the left wing boards as Finn Brink shoved it towards the crease. McGroarty
was one of several players fighting for position in front of the crease but he was able to muscle it
past Stark, pulling the Capitols within two goals.
The adrenaline reached a tipping point late in the third when Capitols forward Nathan Lewis
poked at a frozen puck under the right skate of Stark, setting off a slew of roughing minors as
players got physical outside the crease.
With Madison on a power play, Jonah Aegerter got the final touch on a net-front scramble that
resulted in Madison shrinking the Steel lead to just one goal with five minutes to play.
Weathering the furious comeback, Chicago’s first two goal-scorers of the night, Michael
Emerson and Jack Harvey, teamed up to once again increase the lead to two goals.
On an offensive rush, Emerson drew a defender to the left side and just got enough of the puck
to slide it to the center of the ice where Harvey lasered a one-timer high on the blocker side of
Rissanen for his second goal of the night.
The defending Eastern Conference Champions weren’t going to fall without a fight as the
Capitols were sent on a power play with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. On the
ensuing offensive zone draw, Arizona Coyotes prospect Mikko Matikka hammered a shot from
the left circle that got a piece of Stark’s shoulder pad but trickled into the crease to pull the
Capitols to a 5-4 deficit.
Moldenhauer capped the chaotic game after Madison brought Rissanen to the bench for an
extra attacker as Celebrini chased in on a forecheck, finding Moldenhauer at the right point to
seal the game with his first career USHL hat trick and seventh goal of the year, the most in the
USHL to this point.
With the 6-4 win, the Steel put an end to a brief two-game slide and improved their record on
the road to 2-0-0-0 this year.
The Steel are back in action with a pair of matchups on the road against Team USA (U17) on
Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15 in Michigan
at USA Hockey Arena, finishing the team’s
stretch of three consecutive contests away from home ice.
The Steel will return home October 21 and 22 to take on the Youngstown Phantoms. Fans can
bring their dogs to the game on Friday, October 21 for Pucks and Pups Night presented by
PetSuites. On Saturday, October 22, the Steel pay tribute to
Parks and Recreation by celebrating the Pawnee Harvest Festival. October 22 marks the first Slumberland Family Pack
game of the season. Fans can get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 chips, 4 sodas/waters and 4 chuck-a-
pucks for just $50.
Steel tickets start at just $10 and are on sale now by calling 855-51-STEEL, purchasing at
ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com or visiting the Steel box office at Fox Valley Ice Arena during
business hours. Starting this season, all Steel tickets are now digital. To learn more, visit
ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Season ticket plans starting at 5 games for just $50 and group tickets and experiences are on
sale now by calling 855-51-STEEL or emailing [email protected].
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