KEARNEY, NE – Despite two third period goals and a power play advantage in the last 1:25 of regulation with the goaltender pulled, the Tri-City Storm fell in their home opener to the Madison Capitols 3-2 at the Viaero Center on Friday night.
Madison (2-2-1, 5 pts) snaps a three-game winless streak with the victory. Tri-City's loss drops the Storm to 1-2-2 (4 pts) on the season.
Madison began the game's scoring with a power play tally late in the first period. After Tri-City's Cam Briere took a hooking minor for the contest's first penalty in a puck battle on the right wing boards of the Storm zone, the Capitols struck with three seconds remaining in their man advantage. Colton Jamieson got a feed at the center point and ripped a snapshot into the Tri-City net past Storm goaltender Erick Roest. It was Jamieson's first goal of the season.
The Capitols produced a strong second period. Madison put up two big goals and outshot the Storm 14-10 in the frame.
The Capitols grew their advantage to 2-0 at the 9:33 mark of the second period when Sam Kappell picked up a rebound near the right wing circle after a pad save by Roest on a Drew Waterfield shot. Kappell patiently took the puck near the far post of the Storm net, where he jammed it across the goal line around Roest's outstretched left leg.
The score increased to 3-0 after the Capitol's Mason Moe was fed a turned-over puck from the right point. Moe, on a small breakaway, took the puck near the blue paint and fired a backhand shot top shelf over the glove side of Roest. Finn Brink and Ryker Lee earned assists on the tally.
Tri-City made a forceful comeback attempt in the third period, and began the final frame's scoring. On a great passing play at the 2:34 mark of the third, Carmelo Crandell fired a snapshot from the right wing circle past Madison goaltender Caleb Heil to get the Storm on the board. Crandell got the puck on a beautiful feed from Ilia Morozov, who was positioned on the right-wing side of the goal line. Shaun McEwen also assisted on the goal, which was Crandell's second in as many games.
The Storm earned their first short-handed goal of the season on a nice two-on-one play with just under three minutes remaining in the third. While Tri-City's Colton Whitfield was serving a holding minor, Crandell grabbed a loose puck and drove it down the right wing of the ice with Nolan Roed following on the left wing. Roed skated to the left post of the Madison net, where Crandell slipped a beautiful backdoor pass that Roed one-timed into the Capitols cage, making it a one-goal game.
Tri-City pulled goaltender Erick Roest with 1:50 remaining in the third, and earned a power play about 30 seconds later after Madison's Austin Moline tripped Briere.
Despite a six-on-four advantage and several good chances, the Storm could not get the puck past Heil and score a tying goal in the final minute.
Heil, who made several key saves throughout the night on quality Tri-City chances, stopped 28 of 30 Storm shots. The North Dakota commit picked up his second win of the season.
Roest, who falls to 1-1-1 on the year, halted 29 of 32 shots in the Storm net.
Up next: Tri-City closes the two-game set with Madison tomorrow at 6:05 pm CT. Tickets for Saturday's game can also be purchased at stormhockey.com, via phone at 308-338-8144, or in-person at the Viaero Center box office.
Friday's Box Score
