Played on Mar 15, 2025
United States Hockey League
Game Played in Fox Valley Arena
General Game Notes: Neutral Zone was in attendance for this regular season matchup between the Green Bay Gamblers and the Chicago Steel. A back-and-forth game, with the score tied at 4, overtime was not enough to settle this matchup as Ashton Schultz was the only player to score in a 5-round shootout, hence the Steel squeaked out a 5-4 victory. Power performers in this game included Chicago’s Will Tomko (2G, 1A, 1 Fight), Benjamin Yurchuk (1G, 1A), and Green Bay’s underage (2008), Yegor Shilov (2A), who may be on pace to be a prospect to watch for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft. Additionally, Green Bay forward and newly acquired Boston Bruins prospect Will Zellers (1G) netted his league leading 39th goal of the season.
Benjamin Yurchuk (C, L, 5’8″, 170, Chicago Steel, 02/01/2005, Merrimack)
Game Rating
A-
Ben Yurchuk is a skilled forward with impressive mobility and puck distribution, known for his playmaking abilities. He uses his speed and agility to create space in the neutral zone and then distributes the puck to his linemates. While he has a tendency to shoot first and scored two goals tonight, his primary strength lies in his passing skills. In this game, Ben played more of a multidimensional game than usual, showing flashes of creativity and poise on both offense and defense. He generates speed and looks for options quickly, drawing defenses towards him before using his agility to break down coverage and find open teammates. His ability to control the pace of the game with his stick makes him a valuable asset.
1 Viewing
Comments: Ben is an undersized skilled forward who continues to dazzle with his skill sets. Netting a goal and an assist tonight, Ben pounced on a dump in attempt that took a bad bounce and popped out in front of the goaltender. Here he went straight to the near post and placed a shot 5-hole to a goaltender who was caught completely off-guard. His assist came on the powerplay, where Ben started the sequence with a beautiful cross ice pass, faceoff dot to faceoff dot, finding Valentini, who then sent a pass back across to Tomko for the tic-tac-toe tap in. He sees the ice incredibly well and at such high speeds, all while protecting the puck. He has been a consistent point producer for the Steel all season long, as it looks like he will finish the season as their leading scorer. Ben tries to open up time and space for his teammates each and every shift, while attempting to move opponents out of position, and then snapping off quick and precise passes. He’s on pace for about 15 goals by the end of the season, but we would like to see him shoot more, rather than always looking to distribute.
William Tomko (C, R, 6’0″, 176, Chicago Steel, 10/17/2006, Penn State)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Will is a below average size, two-way right shot forward who was arguably the best player on the ice this evening as he posted a Gordie Howe Hat Trick and then some (2G, 1A, and a fight). His first goal came Comstock entered the offensive zone and dished to Will on his right side. Will then broke off the far side wall and Comstock continued to push the defense back as both players drove the net, where Will roofed one top shelf. His second goal came on the powerplay on a brilliant tic-tac-toe passing play. Yurchuk sent a pass across from the near dot, straight to Valentini at the far dot, who immediately dished it back across to Will, who was standing backdoor at the near post for a tap in. Then he elected to drop the gloves with Cooper Cleaves, who is 4 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than him. Will is pushing the 20-point mark with a month to go in the season, and although he doesn’t have a plethora of points in his first junior campaign there are plenty of other positives to note. Will is a strong skater who has a powerful balance and stride. He has good hockey IQ, reads plays, maintains position, and competes in all three zones. At this point in time, he looks like a better defensive forward who can provide offensive upside. He does not turn 19, until October 2025, so another USHL campaign will definitely do him well and hopefully can build on his scoring numbers. An intriguing versatile prospect.
Lukas Peterson (D, R, 5’9″, 167, Green Bay Gamblers, 02/15/2006, Maine)
Game Rating
B
Lukas Peterson is an undersized two-way defenseman known for his exceptional skating abilities and smart instincts on both offense and defense. His low stance and ability to open his hips at high speeds allow him to maintain steady balance and lateral movement, making him a formidable opponent in tight spaces. He excels at moving pucks out of his own zone quickly and efficiently, while also demonstrating good instincts for leading the rush up ice. Defensively, Lukas utilizes his hockey IQ and aggressive footwork to break up plays and control gaps, providing shutdown capabilities as a second-pairing defenseman with potential for some offensive puck-moving upside.
1 Viewing
Comments: Lukas didn’t make the scoresheet tonight, but as usual he was noticeable each and every time he stepped onto the ice. He is a smart, two-way defenseman, with exceptional skating abilities, primarily in the categories of acceleration, speed, and mobility. Lukas is always active on the offesnive blueline, often showcasing his quick lateral movements combined with his agile footwork. Defensively, he is always taking away passing lanes while defending the rush and choosing smart angles to close off puck carriers. In this game, Lukas also had several subtle reverses in his own end that helped him evade pressure from forecheckers but also helped move the puck out of the zone. Additionally, he quarterbacks the powerplay, looks to find Zellers (NHL draft pick), consistently for one timers, and sees time on the penalty kill. Simply put, he plays in any and all situations. Flirting with the 50-point mark for a defenseman as the season comes to a close, Lukas may not quite be an NHL prospect at this time, however will undoubtedly be an interesting commodity to keep an eye on as he begins his NCAA career soon at the University of Maine. There are just too many good attributes to his game, that if he continues to develop, professional teams just cannot sleep on, despite his size.
David Green (D, L, 6’2″, 205, Green Bay Gamblers, 08/13/2006, Merrimack)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: David is an average size left shot two-way defenseman. He picked up a goal and an assist in this contest, the assist coming as he drove wide down the near side wall, drawing a defenseman towards him, then having good instinct to find Zelenov breaking down the slot untouched, who finished off the play. His goal came late in the second period as he sent somewhat of an awkward angle, quick release wrister towards the net from the top corner of the far circle and somehow found its way in. He’s been touted as a skilled offensive defenseman prior to his rookie USHL season, and although his point totals are not that high, it’s obvious that this has been primarily a learning year for him. David is a good skater, with mobility, and average speed at the USHL level. We believe he will benefit from another USHL season as his does not turn 19 years old until August 2026. Next season may be a good opportunity for him to really bump up his offensive output and showcase those skills that made him so successful in the OJHL.
Egor Shilov (C, L, 6’1″, 163, Green Bay Gamblers, 04/30/2008, Boston University)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Yegor (not Egor) is an average size, two-way (yet skillful) centerman, with a left hand shot. He posted 2 assists on the afternoon, one which came on the powerplay, and was the primary assister on Zellers’ tally. His hockey sense and skating were on full display this contest, as his playmaking, decision making, and anticipation was evident. On the defensive side of the puck, Yegor had a couple opportunities where he backchecked into the neutral zone and was able to strip the puck from Steel forwards, and launch counterattacks the other way. With that being said, he is on pace to be nearly a point per game producer and yet only played a little more than half a USHL season, likely cracking the 30-point plateau in less than 40 games. Having said that, for the first time in his young career his plus/minus is in the minus category (-23), and significantly. This likely has to do with some growing pains as he jumped in and out of AAA/USHL hockey this season. As an underage, Yegor will be a top prospect to watch next year, and should his growth continue at its current pace, he will undoubtedly be in discussions as a 2026 NHL draft selection.
Will Zellers (LW, L, 5’11”, 170, Green Bay Gamblers, 04/04/2006, North Dakota)
Game Rating
B
Will is a skilled forward with a left-hand shot, known for his ability to create scoring opportunities from the offensive zone. He excels at choosing angles of attack and creating space to shoot, making him a potent rusher. On the power play, he’s become more of an overall shooter than passer, but still offers a creative threat on the man advantage. What sets Will apart is his flair for the dramatic, as demonstrated by his game-winning goal in overtime. He seized the opportunity with a shot to the glove side, showcasing his ability to make big plays in clutch situations and earning him a reputation as a late-game hero.
1 Viewing
Comments: Will is a skilled forward who does one thing consistently, and that is score goals. He picked up his league leading 39th goal of the season on a 2 man-advantage, where he beautifully rotated from the near dot, up toward the top of the near circle, sliding into the high slot and then sniping a wrist shot past Parsons to tie the game at 3. Will has such a quick release and finds key shooting lanes for prime scoring chances. He does this exceptionally well as he slips in and out of coverage, changing angles of his attack by shifting his body/hands at a moment’s notice, hence why he is able to get so much velocity into his shot.
Cooper Cleaves (D, R, 6’3″, 203, Green Bay Gamblers, 01/05/2006, Dartmouth)
Game Rating
C+
1 Viewing
Comments: Cooper is a large, two-way defensemen, with a right shot who has good balance and a powerful stride, that also complements the big man’s backwards skating. Cooper stood out with his physicality and defensive play in this game, but he also showed some small offensive side, where he made a slide-step at the far blue line, skated his way down the side wall, and cut to the net after making a move to get a shot off. He saw considerable penalty killing time where he had multiple shot blocks. One he was able to block by getting his stick into the lane, and a second one came when he dropped to one knee and turned his body to the side. He was able to make smart plays and move the puck quickly away from pressure in the neutral zone. Late in the second he would drop the gloves with Tomko, where he looked to get the better of the fight as well, but then did not see much ice as he racked up 15 PIM. He finished as a plus 1 and with 3 shots on net.
Vasili Zelenov (LW, L, 6’0″, 193, Green Bay Gamblers, 02/02/2006, Wisconsin)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Vasily (not Vasili) is a slightly below average size, two-way forward, with a left shot. Extremely noticeable this afternoon from his mobility and ability to play a 200-foot game, he picked up a beautiful goal as Green rushed down the near side wall and he pushed hard down the middle of the slot. Vasily was absolutely untouched, deeked the goaltender completely out of position, and was left with a completely wide-open net. He hustled hard on the backcheck as well and had the ability to catch opponents in the neutral zone and put pressure on the puck with good stick checks. His hands jumped out at us in this contest, not only offensively, but defensively just as much. Vasiliy’s stickhandling is usually at its best when he has open space rather than in tight spaces. In fact, open space is where he often thrives the most.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Imgages