Men's Ice Hockey 9/22/2023 7:40:00 PM

STARS TAKE TIGHT BATTLE VS. STEEL

MANGAN, KLEBER AND RAFTERY ALL SCORE

The Lincoln Stars earned their first win of the 2023-24 season with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Steel on Friday afternoon in the DICK'S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Returners Jared Mangan, Adam Kleber and Patrick Raftery all scored as the Stars split the two-game trip to Pittsburgh. Goaltender Yan Shostak stopped 24-of-25 shots in his first start.

"I really just liked seeing us take a step, head coach Rocky Russo said. "The issues that we had as a coaching staff last night revolved around our compete level. I think that's guys understanding how hard they have to work to generate chances. Today I think you saw that (because) we were first on pucks, we were tracking pucks in the middle. That's obviously a tremendous group of hockey players and I think we were able to frustrate them a little bit because they weren't able to generate the chances that they wanted to."

The Stars outshot the Steel, 45-25, including 19-6 in the second period. They got on the board first in that frame thanks to a bank play from behind the net by Mangan off goaltender Louka Cloutier at the 5:56 mark of the second.

"(Goaltending and Assistant Coach) Artt (Brey) has been telling me to bank it off the back of the goalie," Mangan said, "because they are always fumbling around after a shot and not on their post. It was open and I kept on trying."

Kleber added to the lead with his first USHL goal at the 16:52 mark of the period on a shot that was redirected in off an opponent's stick. The goal was initially awarded to Tyler Wood but Kleber led the flyby back to the bench and received the congratulations from the team.

"Jack Larrigan skated the puck up," Kleber said, "and did what we call a Gretzky turn and then just sauced it back to me. I saw an opponent long and I think it went off a guy on the other team. I'm just glad to get that goal out of the way. The game-winner, it was pretty exciting."

Raftery added an empty-net goal with just over two seconds to go in regulation that gave the Stars the two-goal lead again for good. Reid Conn scored Chicago's lone goal at the 3:19 mark of the third period.

The Stars have the next weekend off before preparing for their home opener on Oct. 7 against the Madison Capitols. Purchase tickets for the home opener at lincolnstars.com and you'll get the next day's game for free.

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