USHL Madison Capitols

Capitols Kick off Regular Season in Dubuque vs. Saints

Published on September 26, 2015 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


Madison, WI - The Madison Capitols will have a very familiar makeup as they take to the ice on Saturday against the Dubuque Fighting Saints to kick off the 2015-16 USHL season at Mystique Community Ice Center.

Led by first-year head coach and general manager Troy G. Ward, the Capitols return 15 players who skated in at least one game a season ago, including leading point producer Haralds Egle (Liepaje, Latvia; 44 points last season) and his linemates Charlie Gerard (Rocky River, Ohio; 33 points) and Guillaume Leclerc (Franois, France; 31 points).

All three members of the Egle-Gerard-Leclerc line ended the 2014-15 season riding five-game point scoring streaks.

In total, the Capitols have a combined 238 points of production from the 2014-15 season back on the roster to begin the new campaign.

In addition to the 15 Capitols returning who played in at least one contest a season ago, Madison also welcomes the addition of a pair of third-year veterans in former Waterloo Black Hawks Phil Beaulieu (Duluth, Minn.) and Tyson McLellan (San Jose, Calif.).

McClellan, the son of Edmonton Oilers head coach Todd McLellan, skated in 40 games with the Black Hawks in 2014-15, producing six goals and six assists on the campaign. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Beaulieu was a stalwart on the Waterloo blue line in 2014-15, scoring 10 goals and adding 19 assists while playing in all 60 regular season games. He was tied for 9th among USHL defensemen in terms of point production.

One notable first-year player to earn a space on the Capitols' opening night roster is forward Eetu Selanne (Coto De Caza, Calif.). A Capitols' USHL Phase II draft selection in 2014, Selanne is the son of longtime Anaheim Ducks superstar Teemu Selanne.

In total, the Capitols 2015-16 roster features eight Wisconsin natives: forwards Alec Broetzman (Hudson), Sam McCormick (De Pere), Luke McElhenie (Sauk City), and Charlie Parker (Verona); as well as defenseman Robby Fosdick (Brookfield), Cole Hults (Stoughton), and brothers Cooper and Carver Watson (Appleton).

The Capitols will be backstopped mainly by 2015 Anaheim Ducks sixth-round selection Garrett Metcalf (Salt Lake City, Utah), who won 10 games for Madison in its inaugural season.

Madison will look to improve in its border battle with the nearby Fighting Saints after compiling a 2-3-1 record in the clubs' first season of contests. On two occasions, Madison erased three-goal third period deficits against Dubuque, each at the Alliant Energy Center. On Nov. 28, 2014, Madison scored four unanswered goals to go from down 4-1 to up 5-4 before the Saints tied the game late in regulation before winning in overtime.

Madison then turned the exact same trick on March 29, scoring three third-period goals in 93 seconds to go from down 4-1 to tied 4-4 before completing the comeback with a shootout victory.

Like the Capitols, the Saints feature a new bench boss, as first-year head coach Jason Lammers makes his USHL regular season debut with Dubuque on Saturday evening.

Coverage of the season's opening game can be heard on 106.7 FM, 1670 AM, The Zone in Madison, as well as online at www.madcitysportszone.com.

The Capitols' full 2015-16 schedule can be seen online at www.MadCapsHockey.com.

Madison Capitols 2015-16 season tickets and 12-game packages for next season are also available now by visiting www.MadCapsHockey.com. Packages can also be purchased by calling (608) 257-CAPS (2277).

Madison returns to open its home schedule on Friday, Oct. 9 for the Home Opener sponsored by River Valley Bank, as they host the Green Bay Gamblers at the Alliant Energy Center. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 26, 2015


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