USHL Madison Capitols

Former Capitol Goalie Smith Leads Ferris State to NCAA Tournament

March 21, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


Madison, WI - The Madison Capitols, playing in just their second season back in the USHL, already have one of their alumni making waves heading into the NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament, as Ferris State goaltender Darren Smith (Barrie, Ontario) leads the Bulldogs into the season-ending tournament.

The freshman goaltender got the lion's share of the net in his lone USHL season in Madison in 2014-15, where he posted a 14-13-9 record and .909 save percentage in 40 games. He posted both the first ever victory and first ever shutout in Capitols team history during his tenure in Madison.

As a freshman playing in the WCHA for Ferris State, Smith has risen to become one of the best rookie stories in college hockey. After taking over the starting job for the Bulldogs early in the season, the 20-year-old Smith has been nothing short of superb. Through 31 games, he has posted a goals-against average of 2.15, which ranks him fourth best among freshman goaltenders.

He is also coming off of a WCHA Final Five tournament for the ages, where he allowed just one goal over two games against Michigan Tech & Minnesota State to earn MVP honors. Smith stopped 43 of 44 pucks in the tournament to lead Ferris State back into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014. He made 30 saves in a 1-0 shutout of Michigan Tech on Friday against the favored Huskies.

Smith and the Bulldogs open the NCAA tournament on Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT against St. Cloud State.

After just a one-game weekend in Bloomington in the week to come, the current band of Capitols return home for three straight games to close out the home slate from April 1-8 against Muskegon (twice) and Bloomington.

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

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 21, 2016


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