This Friday and Saturday at the New Ulm Civic Center when the New Ulm Steel host Alexandria and Willmar, respectively, for NA3HL games, the Steel hope to use last weekend’s sweep of North Iowa to continue their roll in the West Division.

Last weekend, the Steel swept the West Division-leading Bulls 3-2 in overtime here in New Ulm Friday before earning a 4-2 win Saturday in Mason City to improve to 6-3-0-1 in the West, good for third place and just 2 points behind second-place Granite City.

Sweeping North Iowa, a team that came in riding a 10-game winning streak with just one loss, is something that has not happened in recent years.

“The New Ulm Steel had never swept them in their fours years here and doing that shows that we can be one of the best teams in the league,” Steel head coach Zach Stepan said. “But now we have to back those wins up this weekend.”

Two players for the Steel who have keyed wins are forwards Keegan Bauman (Champlin Park, MN) and Michael Savelkoul (Albert Lea, MN).

Baumann, who was acquired from Willmar two years ago (along with Jordan Cooper) in a trade that sent Kirk Coppock, Drew Schenkenberg and Jeff Bishop, recorded a hat trick Saturday and now has seven goals and seven assists in New Ulm’s 10 games.

“His biggest asset is his hockey intelligence,” Stepan said. “He is really good at being at the right place at the right time. But you have to credit his linemates (Jacob Halvorson and Michael Savelkoul). That line has to be one of the best lines in the NA3HL — they are a line that even on bad nights, they score goals.”

Stepan said that members of that line are also helping in other ways.

“I think that Halvorson had five or six blocked shots both Friday and Saturday — and he is our leading scorer (10 goals, nine assists). When a 17 or 18-year-old kid sees your top scorer do that, it sends him a message, too.”

While Halvorson is the top scorer for the Steel, Savelkoul, who was drafted by the Steel two years ago, may well be New Ulm’s ‘point guard’ on the ice with 13 assists in 10 games.

“He can move the puck,” Stepan said. “He is playing with two guys who can score, but I know he would like to put the puck in the net more (two goals), but he is such a good passer and he sees the ice so well that he really compliments those two on the line. He works harder than anyone I have seen. He has the passion and drive for the game. I tell my players that passing is 95 percent care and 5 percent skill — he gets excited when other guys are scoring goals.”

GOALIE DEPTH: Right now, the Steel have five goalies on their roster in A.J. Cohen, Jack Raymond, James Royce, Noah Frederich and Zach Hatten. Stepan said the Steel are looking to make roster moves soon via the trade market.

“It is one of those things where I could just release them, but at the same time I want to help these kids,” Stepan said. “We have been working for the last couple of weeks to try and get them to a place where they will play and not get into another situation like they are in now. The goalie spot is a tough position — there are only two on every team — we are looking for the right place to play rather than just releasing them.”

He did say that there is the chance that one may be called up to the NAHL Chippewa Falls Steel team sometime during the season. “With us having that affiliation, maybe we start playing ring around the rosies with goalies.”

All five goalies have played a game this season. Right now, Royce is battling an injured hand.

STEEL HELP DAV: Last weekend, players from the New Ulm Steel helped load a semi of donated clothing for the DAV in New Ulm. A job that would have taken the DAV five hours to do was done in less than two hours.

Friday night (Alexandria) is “KNUJ860 AM and SAM 107.3 Night”, while Saturday night (Willmar) is “$2 Beer Night.” On “KNUJ Night” KNUJ will be giving away Mall of America wrist bands.

Both games begin at 7:10 p.m. at the New Ulm Civic Center.