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USHL Madison Capitols

Godbout Downs Bucs in OT for Caps' 7th Straight Coliseum Win

March 19, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


Madison, WI - The Madison Capitols (24-23-5-3) got a power play goal to tie the game late in regulation, and then Marcel Godbout sank his former team on an overtime power play in a 6-5 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers (22-27-4-0) at the Alliant Energy Center on Saturday.

In a battle of two teams that have given up over 170 goals on the season, the Caps and Bucs wasted little time going to the attack in a back-and-forth seesaw battle in the first period.

Madison struck first on the game's first odd-man chance, as Dmitri Buinitsky skated in over the left side, froze the defender, then elevated a pass to Guillaume Leclerc, who snapped the one-timer past Des Moines goalie Nick MacNab to give the Caps the 1-0 lead at 5:06.

After each team failed to score on abbreviated and overlapping power plays, the Bucs broke back even at 12:50, as Patrick Grasso picked up the puck on the left side wall, navigated in front, then outwaited Drew Hotte to score and tie the game, 1-1.

Des Moines then propelled itself to its first lead of the evening as James Gobetz' point shot eluded Hotte at 16:12 to put the Buccaneers ahead, 2-1.

However, the Capitols had their goaltender's back, as Chris Jones got a point shot through traffic himself at 17:51, and Alec Broetzman cleaned up the mess to get his club back even, 2-2. Broetzman's goal ended a pointless slump that dated back to Jan. 29.

Neither team lost steam in getting pucks at the net in the second period, as Des Moines regained the lead, 3-2, at 3:04, as Isaac Johnson picked up his first USHL goal on a wrist shot from the high slot.

Hotte's night was complete at that point, as Daniel Lebedeff came on in relief. The Capitols had a glorious chance to break back even, but MacNab came up with his best save of the night on Eugene Fadyeyev off a three-on-one.

Just moments later, Grasso, already with three points on the night, broke in on a perfect stretch pass from Verona native Ty Pelton-Byce and beat Lebedeff to put Des Moines in front, 4-2, at 6:09.

The Capitols did not go away quietly though, as Fadyeyev made up for his miss with a slap shot rocket past MacNab at 10:49 to bring the score back to 4-3. It was the Ukrainian-born forward's fifth goal since his return from injury in late January.

Grasso picked up his hat-trick goal to begin the third period and restore Des Moines' two-goal edge at 5-3 just 37 seconds into the stanza, only to see it answered by Billy Jerry just 50 seconds later. Jerry carried the puck on a loop through the offensive zone before unleashing a perfect wrist shot over the glove of MacNab at 1:27.

MacNab did his best to preserve the lead in a third period where the Capitols peppered the net. He and Lebedeff each came up with breakaway saves as well to keep the game 5-4. Lebedeff's denial came on a shorthanded bid by 26-goal scorer Zach Jordan.

In a game where the Capitols only had two power plays in the first 57 minutes, Madison finally drew another man-advantage chance when Justin Howell interfered with Buinitsky at 18:20.

Following a time out from head coach Troy G. Ward, the Caps immediately went to work with the power play. Just 12 seconds later, Marcel Godbout fed the front of the net, where Luke McElhenie successfully pried the puck past MacNab to tie the game, 5-5, with 1:28 to go.

After Lebedeff made two more clutch saves on Kenny Hausinger to force overtime, the Capitols received another power play gift in overtime as Des Moines was caught with too many men on the ice just 41 seconds into the extra period. Once again, quickness was the operative word for the Caps' power play. After McElhenie was sealed off along the wall, Godbout picked up the loose disc in the left corner, stepped to the front in a mini two-on-one, and ripped perfect top-shelf snipe to win it just 51 seconds into overtime.

The win is the Caps' seventh straight at the Alliant Energy Center dating back to Jan. 17, as well as the fifth straight game in which the Capitols registered a point in the standings.

After just a one-game weekend in Bloomington in the week to come, the 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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