MOUNT CLEMENS, MI. - The Chicago Crush Elite unit set the tone for their Detroit Showcase campaign with a clinical 4-0 victory over the Motor City Gamblers on Thursday afternoon at Mount Clemens Ice Arena. A balanced attack, suffocating defense, and stellar goaltending propelled the Crush to an emphatic opening win.
Second-Period Breakthrough
After a tight, scoreless first period, the Crush broke the deadlock in the second. At 11:02, Dominic DeMatteo rifled a shot past Motor City netminder Tyler Houle, capitalizing on a well-timed setup by Alex Matysiak and Alexander Hodge. The goal marked DeMatteo’s fifth of the season and stood as the game-winner.
Chicago struck again just minutes later when Joshua Yeates scored a beauty to double the lead at 15:35. DeMatteo and Grant Paullo provided the assists, with Yeates notching his second goal of the season.
Third-Period Domination
The Crush carried their momentum into the final period. At 4:03, Alex Guida extended the lead with a laser from the slot off assists from Mikey Large and Logan Landmeier. Guida’s goal, his fifth of the year, was a dagger that deflated any hopes of a Motor City comeback.
To seal the deal, Jaeden Burnett found twine at 15:22, with helpers from Christopher Frachalla and Cole Darlas, putting the finishing touches on a dominant performance.
Gurtner’s Shutout Masterclass
Daniel Gurtner was impenetrable between the pipes, turning aside all 24 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season. His calm presence and quick reflexes thwarted Motor City at every turn, particularly during two penalty kills in the third period.
Special Teams Shine
The Crush penalty kill maintained its perfect record, nullifying both of Motor City’s power-play opportunities. While Chicago’s lone power-play chance went unconverted, their five-on-five play was more than enough to secure the win.
Up Next: Fort Wayne Spacemen
With this win, the Crush improve to 8-3-1 on the season and set their sights on a tough matchup against the Fort Wayne Spacemen tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST. The Spacemen, who handed the Crush a rare loss earlier this month, will look to test Chicago’s momentum.
Scoring Summary:
2nd Period
• 11:02 CHI – Dominic DeMatteo (5) (Matysiak, Hodge)
• 15:35 CHI – Joshua Yeates (2) (DeMatteo, Paullo)
3rd Period
• 4:03 CHI – Alex Guida (5) (Large, Landmeier)
• 15:22 CHI – Jaeden Burnett (2) (Frachalla, Darlas)
Shots on Goal:
CHI: 37 | MCG: 24
Goaltenders:
CHI – Daniel Gurtner (W, 24 SV, SO)
MCG – Tyler Houle (L, 33 SV on 37 SA)
The puck drops tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST for Game 2 of the showcase. Will the Crush keep rolling, or will Fort Wayne strike back? Stay tuned! Catch all the action live on FloHockey.tv!
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