Cedar Rapids beat Chicago Steel 5-0 in the USHL on October 3rd, 2026. The hosts sat on top of the table with four wins from four games, while the visitors held second place after two victories. It was a clean sheet for the home side and a statement of intent from a team that had already shown consistency early in the season.
By then, Cedar Rapids had been on a run of wins. They had beaten Sioux City Musketeers twice in late September, both times 5-2, and added a 4-2 victory over the same side before that. A 3-0 shutout against Fargo Force rounded out their recent form. This match simply continued that pattern.
Chicago Steel had kept their own winning streak going. They had won 6-3 against Omaha Lancers and 4-3 against Lincoln Stars in mid-September. Two of their five most recent games came back in April against USA U18, where they lost one and won one. The visitors fancied their chances tonight, but never really got going.
And here's the thing — we had called this one beforehand. Sixty per cent confidence on the home side, and it came good. Not a surprise, really. Cedar Rapids had been second to nothing all season, and Chicago Steel, solid as they were, simply weren't at that level yet.
The result leaves the hosts four points clear at the summit, though the visitors have played fewer games so the gap isn't as meaningful as it might be. What it does show is that the home side, already unbeaten, is building something real. If they keep this up, they'll be hard to catch.
