MADISON, Wis. – The Tri-City Storm (6-3-1) played catch-up for most of the night and fell short, losing 5-4 to the Madison Capitols (2-5-2) in the teams’ first ever meeting at the Alliant Energy Center on Friday night.
Four different Storm forwards scored in the loss, including Nick Master, Nolan Aibel, Chris Wilkie and Chase Berger. For Aibel, the tally was his first of the season, while Wilkie got his team-leading sixth of the year.
The Capitols took the lead on the first shift of the game, scoring just 11 seconds into the contest on a shot by forward Guillaume Leclerc.
Madison held the early advantage until late in the period when Master stole a puck at the top of the offensive zone and beat netminder Darren Smith up high with a wrist shot to tie things at 1-1.
After the first intermission, the Capitols once again regained the lead with an early goal at 1:19 of the middle frame. Forward Ryan Lohin gave Madison a 2-1 lead, his first of two tallies in the period.
Tri-City tied things up again under a minute later. During a delayed penalty, forward Matthew Freytag found Aibel in front for a redirection. The tally was the Brookville, N.Y. native’s second in USHL play, after scoring one goal during the 2013-14 season.
Minutes later, forward Will Johnson gave Madison a 3-2 lead with his third goal of the season before Lohin made it 4-2 with his second tally to open up the game.
Towards the close of the second period, Wilkie capitalized on a power play just nine seconds into the man-advantage. Forward Jake Wahlin found the Omaha native open in the high-slot and Wilkie shot the puck into the lower left corner of the net to make it a 4-3 game.
Berger tied things back up for the third time with his second goal of the season just 2:59 into the final period. After the goal, the Capitols pulled Smith in favor of backup goaltender Garrett Metcalf.
But the Capitals regained the lead less than a minute later on a goal by Sam McCormick and held on for good.
Metcalf stopped all 12 shots that came his way after replacing Smith, earning the victory for Madison.
Alec Dillon got the start in net for Tri-City and made 29 saves in the loss. The Storm outshot Madison 35-34 on the night.
The two clubs will finish their weekend series in Madison on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
Tri-City will return home to take on the Muskegon Lumberjacks Nov. 7-8 at the Viaero Event Center in Kearney.
Notes: The Storm scratched forward Wade Allison and defenseman Gordi Myer. Forwards Garrett Gamez and Conner Valesano were also scratched, serving a two-game suspension…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Madison – Guillaume Leclerc (Will Johnson) 0:11
Tri-City – Nick Master (unassisted) 17:45
2nd Period
Madison – Ryan Lohin (Sam McCormick, Alec Vanko) 1:19
Tri-City – Nolan Aibel (Matthew Freytag, Aleksi Ainali) 1:57
Madison – Will Johnson (Haralds Egle, Cooper Watson) 4:28
Madison – Ryan Lohin (power play) (Mason Anderson, Alec Vanko) 11:05
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (power play) (Jake Wahlin, Bobby Nardella) 16:15
3rd Period
Tri-City – Chase Berger (Jake Wahlin, Cody Milan) 2:59
Madison – Sam McCormick (Mitch Hults, Guillaume Leclerc) 3:45
PENALTIES
1st Period
Tri-City – Bench Minor – (Too Many Men), 2 min, 10:03
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 18:14
Madison – Marco Richter – (Elbowing), 2 min, 18:14
2nd Period
Tri-City – Kevin Kerr – (Holding), 2 min, 10:03
Tri-City – Aleksi Ainali – (Tripping), 2 min, 12:20
Madison – Tommy Muck – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:08
Madison – Will Johnson – (Checking From Behind), 2 min, 16:06
Madison – Will Johnson – (Checking From Behind) (Misconduct), 10 min, 16:06
3rd Period
Tri-City – Matthew Freytag – (Holding), 2 min, 4:17
Madison – Jarod Zirbel – (Roughing), 2 min, 9:01
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – (Roughing), 2 min, 9:01
Madison – Guillaume Leclerc – (Tripping), 2 min, 13:04
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 20:00
Power Play
Tri-City – 1/3
Madison – 1/4
Shots
Tri-City: 10, 10, 15 = Total: 35
Madison: 12, 15, 7 = Total: 34
Saves
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 29/34
Madison – Darren Smith – 19/23, Metcalf – 12/12