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USHL Madison Capitols

Caps Snakebitten by Late Goal Before Succumbing in Shootout

February 10, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


Middleton, WI - The Madison Capitols (16-20-2-3) struck for two quick goals in the third to vault to a lead, but could not hold off the Muskegon Lumberjacks (16-17-2-2) in a debilitating 4-3 loss in a shootout at Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena on Wednesday evening.

The Capitols fell victim to Muskegon's hottest player and perhaps the USHL's best player in the 2015-16 season in the game's first three minutes. After Marcel Godbout was whistled down for an elbowing penalty in the opening two minutes, Rem Pitlick found his way to the score sheet with his USHL-best 27th goal of the year on a wrist under Ryan Edquist at the 2:57 mark.

The Capitols never could seem to get their land legs in the opening period, as Muskegon outshot Madison by an 18-9 clip in the opening 20 minutes. Edquist's 17 saves kept his team in the game, while Joey Daccord did not have a busy period at the other crease, turning aside just nine Capitol shots.

The second period brought about a bigger offensive push from the Capitols, aided by a quartet of power play opportunities. At the 9:30 mark of the period, the Capitols were finally able to break their goose egg and get the game equalized.

Sam McCormick picked up a loose puck at the left point and shuffled it along to Godbout, who patiently waited for Tyson McLellan to crash down the right wing wall, and the San Jose native buried the one-time punch shot to bring the game to a 1-1 tie. It was McLellan's 10th of the season, his first double-digit goal output in his USHL career.

The tie score would not last, though, as Daccord and the Muskegon defense had answers on a trio of other power play chances, and on just the Jacks' second man advantage try in the period's final four minutes, defense Grant Gabriele was able to wrist a seeing-eye point shot through traffic to give Muskegon the 2-1 edge at 17:01 of the middle stanza.

The Capitols went on a quick offensive burst to start the third. Just nine seconds into the final period, Dmitri Buinitsky rushed up on a forecheck, took the puck from a fallen Muskegon defender, and then maneuvered the puck around Daccord and inside the post on a stick handle. It was the Belarusian's first USHL goal, which tied the score 2-2.

Just 1:21 later, the Caps piggybacked the Buinitsky goal to a lead tally, as Daniel Willett blasted a one timer from the right point that found a crevice on Daccord to push the Caps ahead, 3-2, for the first time all night.

The 3-2 score stayed put into the game's final minute, but with just 36 seconds left on the clock, Muskegon broke even. After head coach Todd Krygier utilized his timeout, Matej Paulovic worked the puck over to Gabriele, who ripped a one-timer through Edquist with the Lumberjack net empty to force overtime, 3-3.

In the extra session, Muskegon had the best chance to win after a penalty shot was awarded to Rem Pitlick following a delay-of-game on Willett. Willett was ruled to have purposely pushed the net off its pegs, but Pitlick's attempt at winning the game came up short, as Edquist made a huge right pad save to preserve the game.

Edquist prolonged the game on a night he set his career high with 48 saves, but ultimately he could not reel in the win, as Collin Adams and Paulovic scored on successive shots to send the Capitols home with a bitter feeling.

Following tonight's tilt, the Capitols play the next nine games away from home before returning for Cross Check Cancer night on Friday, March 11 against Sioux Falls.

For more ticket information regarding future Capitols games back at the Alliant Energy Center, please call (608) 257-CAPS or visit www.MadCapsHockey.com.

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