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USHL Madison Capitols

Hotte & Energized Offense Propel Caps Past Bucs

February 13, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


Urbandale, IA - The Madison Capitols (17-20-3-3) received a night chock full of multi-point scorers in a 4-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers (18-21-2-0) on Saturday at Buccaneer Arena.

The night began with a chaotic feel to the first period, as the Caps and Bucs traded quick strikes. Madison fired the first offering at 8:15, as Luke McElhenie cleaned up a rebound in the blue paint to give the Capitols a 1-0 lead.

Tommy Muck took a rink-wide feed from Tyson McLellan and launched a low shot in front on Des Moines goalie Jan Ruzicka. The goalie kicked out a save, but the rebound came right to McElhenie, who arrived off the bench to cash in on the loose puck.

While the Bucs defense was not stout, their offense was quick to answer the opening goal, as Alec Rauhauser found a lane from his defense spot and beat Drew Hotte at 10:56, less than three minutes after the McElhenie tally and just moments after Madison killed off a Des Moines power play.

With the game deadlocked once again, the Capitols once again played the role of tie-breaker courtesy of their European contingent. Dmitri Buinitsky guided a puck into the right wing corner, where McLellan threw a slap pass through the slot area. On the left wing side, Eugene Fadyeyev crashed the net and one-touched the hot feed behind Ruzicka to put Madison ahead 2-1 at 15:17. It was Fadyeyev's second goal in as many nights and third overall.

The final minute woes would strike the Capitols once again, however, as Verona native Ty Pelton-Byce drove the net and saw a rebound from a David Keefer shot bounce off his leg and roll in behind Hotte with just 26 seconds left on the opening period clock.

After Des Moines' Dane County native brought the score back even, the Capitols turned to their hometown hero for a second time in period two to break the tie. McElhenie scooped up a puck in center ice and created a two-on-one with Eetu Selanne. The Sauk City native successfully used Selanne as a decoy, teeing up a perfect wrist shot into the top shelf on the stick side of Ruzicka. McElhenie's second of the night and 10th of the season came at 14:05 of the middle frame to give the Capitols the 3-2 intermission.

Despite generating 29 shots in the game's final two periods, the Buccaneers could not solve Hotte after the opening period, and the Capitols added the insurance to provide their goaltender with his first win in a Madison uniform.

After already providing an assist on Fadyeyev's goal, Buinitsky gathered a loose puck near Ruzicka's goal off a McLellan shot, then raced behind the net and tucked it home on the right post before Ruzicka could recover. The goal from the Belarusian at 5:35 ended the scoring with the Capitols prevailing 4-2.

McElhenie's second of the night went down as his fifth game-winning goal, a team-high marker. Hotte's night ended with a grand total of 37 stops for his first victory with the Capitols.

The Capitols' next venture on their nine-game road trip is a two-game stop in Muskegon against the Lumberjacks on Feb. 19-20 at the L.C. Walker Arena. Puck drop is set for 6:15 p.m. CT on Friday and Saturday, with coverage on 106.7 FM/1670 AM, The Zone.

The Capitols return home for a two-game weekend on Friday & Saturday, March 11-12, at the Alliant Energy Center for a pair of 7:05 p.m. puck drops against Sioux Falls and Youngstown respectively.

March 11 marks the Capitols' Cross Check Cancer initiative, as proceeds from ticket package purchases will benefit the UW Carbone Cancer Center, in conjunction with UW Health Sports Medicine, the Capitols' 2015-16 presenting sponsor.

March 12 brings about the return of four-legged friends to the Coliseum on Pucks N' Paws night, presented by Animart. Dogs will be permitted into the Alliant Energy Center on game night, and each pup will receive a doggy goody bag!

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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United States Hockey League Stories from February 13, 2016


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