USG Arena: 10-10-26

On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the Phantoms made their second journey inside the City of Chicago for a Black vs. Yellow game at Blackhawks Ice Center and this time, USG Arena, Home of the Chicago Steel (USHL). Ryker Barber (Black team) and Trent Kik (Gray team) would pilot their teams to a battle that would see Team Gray rally to capture an 8-4 victory.  Brett Straley and Brennan Burris, newcomers to the group, would be the referees for the contest.  Following the Black vs. Gray game, the group would stay and watch the Chicago Steel defeat the Muskegon Lumberjacks 5-4 and then head across the street to watch the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. C2 Visual Media would be on-hand to capture the photos of the event.  Please be sure to visit the photo gallery to see the images captured.  We do ask that you tag C2 Visual Media if sharing the photos on social media by using '@C2VisualMedia'.

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Gray Turns a Chicago Scrimmage into an 8–4 Win:

The Black vs. Gray showdown at Blackhawks Ice Center—USG Arena, home of the Chicago Steel—started with Black in command, swung into a tight contest, then broke open in a hurry. By the final horn, Gray had answered an early two-goal deficit with eight of its own to claim an 8–4 win.

Black wasted little time making its mark. With 12:55 remaining in the first period, Nick Pokorny opened the scoring off Kyle Heiss’s assist. Jay Allendorf made it 2–0 at 9:09, putting Black in position to dictate the pace. But Gray began its climb when Chris Laux scored unassisted with 5:17 left. Alex Hoffman completed the comeback before the period ended, tying the game 2–2 at 4:00 on a play set up by Ezra Gennello and Matt Fosnot. The opening period had delivered four goals and a clean slate. Heiss was called for tripping at 0:50.

Gray found its first lead early in the second, as Laux scored with 14:18 remaining on a feed from Matt Fazio. Black answered quickly: Ryker Barber’s unassisted goal at 13:11 made it 3–3 and reset the contest once again. The teams traded chances on the scoreboard, but Gray struck last in the period. With 1:36 to go, Fazio finished Bartlett’s setup to give Gray a 4–3 edge heading into the third.

That one-goal margin did not last long. Fazio scored his second with 15:20 remaining in the third, assisted by Bartlett, and Gray had breathing room. Laux added his second of the night at 11:56, with Fazio and Gennello assisting. Hoffman then scored again at 8:20 on Charlie Vasseur’s pass, stretching Gray’s advantage to 7–3.

Bob Bartlett added another unassisted goal with 3:50 left, capping Gray’s four-goal third-period surge. Black refused to go quietly: Allendorf scored his second of the game at 0:54, unassisted, to bring Black to four. Gray’s lead held, and the final settled at 8–4. Laux completed a hat trick, Fazio and Hoffman each scored twice, and Bartlett added a goal. Laux was assessed a high-sticking penalty at 2:50 of the third.

The game’s story was written in its swings: Black’s fast 2–0 start, Gray’s first-period comeback, a second-period answer from each side, and then Gray’s decisive finish. After three periods, the score was Gray 8, Black 4, with the scoring by period reading Gray 2–2–4; Black 2–1–1.