×

Steel skates past Granite City 5-4

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm Steel forward Alex Egle tries to get past a Granite City defender during the first period at the New Ulm Civic Center Friday. For more photos of this event go to cu.nujournal.com

NEW ULM — For 40 of the first 60 minutes of their NA3HL game with Granite City Saturday night, the New Ulm Steel played a solid game and built a 4-1 lead over the Lumberjacks.

But two goals from Granite City in the first four minutes of the third period sliced the lead to 4-3 before the Steel’s Fritz Belisle notched an insurance goal and the eventual game-winner as New Ulm got by Granite City 5-4 at the New Ulm Civic Center.

Jared Mickelson, Dylan Leivermann, Luc Kreuser and Sam Wenner also scored goals for the Steel (23-15-0-3).

Kreuser and Vinnie Billing each had two assists. Vitaly Nosov, Belisle, Alex Egle, Orlando Scherz, Steven Mordini and Benji Mickel each added helpers.

Steel goalie Nathan Siclovan recorded 29 saves.

The Steel, who close out their regular season home schedule at 7:10 p.m. Sunday against Willmar, had what seemed to be a dominating 4-1 lead going into the final 20 minutes when the Lumberjacks, who beat the Steel Friday night in a shootout, got two quick goals past Siclovan in a span of four minutes.

“That is not the way that we wanted to start the third period,” Steel coach Jay Witta said. “They made it interesting — they were coming at us hard. We had a couple of mistakes in our defensive zone behind the net. Pucks pop out — their first goal of the period was just a scrum. Sicy missed a poke on the puck and they put it away. We had little miscues here and there and they cost us.”

But Belisle’s goal with 8:23 left in the third period regained momentum and a two goal lead for the Steel.

New Um had taken a 3-0 lead after the first period. Jared Mickelson’s wrist shot beat Jacks’ goalie David Mulligan at the 12:15 mark before Kreuser netted a power play goal two minutes later for 2-0 lead.

Dylan Leivermann upped the lead to 3-0 when he scored on a breakaway on Mulligan one minute later.

Mulligan was replaced after the first period.

Wenner’s power play goal in the second period saw the Steel ahead 4-0 before the Jacks cut the lead to 4-1 after two periods.

“We came out flying and playing our game tonight” Witta said. “And I thought that we played alright in the third period even though we gave up those goals. We did have a goal taken away from us [in the first period]. We have Willmar [tonight] and we are getting ready for the playoffs. This was a big two points for us. The game with Willmar [Sunday] is a huge game for us.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today