Caps Offense Explodes in Home Opener Win
October 9, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release
Madison, WI - The Madison Capitols (1-2-0) exploded for a six-goal outburst and held off a late Green Bay charge, defeating the Gamblers (0-3-1) by a final score of 6-4 on Friday at the Alliant Energy Center.
For a third straight contest, Troy G. Ward's Capitols were able to crack into the scoring first, as Charlie Gerard (Rocky River, Ohio) dug a puck out in the right circle, maneuvered to the slot and backhanded a try past Green Bay goaltender Kevin Reich to make it 1-0 at 10:48.
The lead would be short-lived however, as Haralds Egle was whistled for roughing immediately following the Gerard goal, as he got tangled up with a Gambler in the midst of the goal celebration.
The Gamblers made the Latvian pay for his error, as Joey Marooney knocked a point shot down past Garrett Metcalf at 11:53 to tie the game on a power play.
After Metcalf made a save on a flurry of Green Bay chances following the Marooney goal, it was Marooney himself who gift-wrapped the Capitols.
Trying to complete a cross-ice pass in his own zone to start a breakout, Marooney failed to spot Tyson McLellan (San Jose, Calif.), who intercepted and immediately launched a wrister off the pipe and in to make it 2-1 at the 15:10 mark. After scoring just six goals in 2014-15 with Waterloo, this was already McLellan's third with Madison in just his third game.
The Capitols got another chance on a power play to extend the lead before the first period's close, but Reich stood tall despite some dangerous chances from the Madison man-up unit.
After surviving the Caps' power plays in the opening frame, Sam Saliba wasted little time tying the score in the second, beating Metcalf off a perfect feed from Marc Michaelis to make it a 2-2 game just 32 seconds into the middle period.
However, Green Bay could not get out of the way of their own mishaps, as Sam McCormick, much the same way McLellan struck in the first, pick-pocketed the Gamblers in the slot and launched a rifling shot past Reich on the blocker side at 4:38.
The Capitols would not let the Gamblers make it even this time, though, as Tommy Muck set up a goal with a long point shot that caromed off the post right to Guillaume Leclerc just outside the blue paint, and the Frenchman beat Reich to make it 4-2 at 13:27.
The Capitols nearly got a fifth goal as Gerard broke in alone down the right side, but Reich slid into the splits to stop a backhand try with the arm. Madison outshot Green Bay 10-6 in the second period overall.
Saliba then made matters worse for Green Bay when he was whistled down for butt-ending Ryan Lohin, which earned him a game misconduct and handed the Capitols a chance at an extended power play after Lohin's coincidental slashing minor was served.
Leclerc would shorten the ensuing power play with a minor penalty in the third, but it would not matter as Madison continued its offensive roll in the final period. First, Egle got himself back onto the score sheet, dancing to the slot before beating Reich on the stick side at 7:31. All three members of the Gerard-Leclerc-Egle connection potted goals on Friday for Madison.
The Capitols then broke through on the power play for the second time this season, as Lohin, McCormick and Daniel Willett finished a perfect tic-tac-toe passing play, with Willett one-timing a snapper past Reich from the left circle at 9:30 to make it 6-2.
Gerard, Egle, Lohin and McCormick each finished the night with two points, while Metcalf picked up his first win with 23 stops.
The Gamblers made it exciting in the final moments, scoring twice in 1:23 to bring the final score to 6-4 with a minute to play, as Jack McCarthy and Nick Poehling each scored their first USHL goals.
The Capitols quickly hit the road for a Saturday night matchup in Muskegon against the defending Eastern Conference champion Muskegon Lumberjacks. Puck drop on Saturday from the L.C. Walker Arena is set for 6:15 p.m. CT and can be heard on 106.7 FM, 1670 AM The Zone. It can also be heard via the TuneIn radio app or online at www.madcitysportszone.com.
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