(Photo Credit: Mick Lite)
It’s safe to say the inaugural season of the St. Charles Chill isn’t going the way they planned. Entering Friday night, they were a very mediocre 7-16-4 on the season, and riding a three game losing streak. Things didn’t seem to get easier as they faced off against the Allen Americans, who entered the game at 14-10-2, in their tilt at the Family Arena in St. Charles.
The Chill struggled to muster any offense, and the defense was non-existent as goalie Robert Moss was constantly on his toes trying to stop a barrage of shots from the Americans.
In the first period, and only three minutes into the game, at 17:04, the Americans’ Jamie Schaafsma scored the first goal of the game, as the puck barely passed through Moss’s legs. Moss would have his hands full throughout the game, as the porous defense of the Chill forced Moss into tight situations.
When the first period ended, the Americans had a 1-0 lead, and the shots were 9-6 in favor of the Americans as well.
The second period did not start any better for the Chill as, with 17:46 to go in the period, the Americans’ Tyler Ludwig launched one past Moss and the Chill were just like that down 2-0. Moss was making good saves throughout the rest of the period until, with 19 seconds left, another goal made it’s way through the net.
Entering the final period, down 3-0, aggressiveness finally began to show itself in the Chill players, as they started off on the offense, and, at the 18:41 mark, Dan Weiss scored a power-play goal (the only such conversion on the night for St. Charles) and just like that, St. Charles showed signs of life. But it was short lived, as three minutes later, the Americans’ John Snowden fired a shot that inched it’s way into the net for a goal for Allen, once again forcing the Chill down by three.
The game would get more difficult for the Chill despite their new, aggressive approach as another goal tacked on by the Americans in the third on a shot from Mike Berube to essentially seal the game for the Americans, as they would eventually win 5-1.
The loss puts the Chill 10 games under .500, at 7-17-4.
As with any expansion team, struggles are bound to happen. The Chill have yet to build true chemistry as they are all adjusting being on a new team together. With plenty of games left in the season, this young team still can be able to make some noise in the division. If they are willing to do so.
Their next home game is this Tuesday against the Rapid City Rush at 6:50.
