The Madison Capitols won a goaltending duel Saturday, nipping the Waterloo Black Hawks 2-1 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, during the USHL Fall Classic.
Patriks Berzins made 28 saves for the win. Jack Spicer turned away 29 in defeat, including a number of excellent saves to keep the game close.
The Waterloo veteran's biggest early stop snuffed out a chance by former teammate James Hong with just under six minutes remaining in the first period. That helped keep the game scoreless through intermission as the Capitols built an 11-8 shots edge in the opening 20 minutes.
Spicer's finest save of the second period denied Brendan Lamb following a Hawks turnover. However, the Capitols went in front later as the result of another giveaway near the Waterloo blue line. Max Nagel made the steal with 1:30 left in the period, skating in two-on-one. Nagel took the shot himself and beat Spicer with the low chance.
Early in the third, Spicer closed the door on a Jake Rozzi breakaway, but the Capitols doubled their lead at 9:00 in the wake of an icing call. Rozzi's attempt from the right circle yielded a rebound, which Nagel tucked into an open side.
Less than a minute later, John Mustard broke up Berzins' shutout bid. The puck squirted to Mustard out of the left corner, and he fired in a chance low to the stick side at 9:58.
Waterloo couldn't churn out an equalizer in the last 10 minutes, and Madison improved to 2-0-0. The Hawks fall to 0-2-0.
Next Friday, the Black Hawks continue a season-opening stretch of six games away from Young Arena. The Hawks visit the Dubuque Fighting Saints; that matchup is Waterloo's only game next weekend.
Madison 0 1 1 - 2
Waterloo 0 0 1 - 1
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Cronin Wat (holding), 9:00; Burnevik Mad (roughing), 17:35; McInnis Wat (10-minute misconduct, roughing), 17:35; Hong Mad (hooking), 18:00.
2nd Period-1, Madison, Nagel 1 18:30. Penalties-Mackey Mad (cross checking), 9:39; Elias Mad (checking from behind), 13:55.
3rd Period-2, Madison, Nagel 2 (Rozzi, Frey), 9:00. 3, Waterloo, Mustard 1 9:58. Penalties-Erdman Wat (slashing), 0:32.
Shots on Goal-Madison 11-7-13-31. Waterloo 8-14-7-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Madison 0 / 2; Waterloo 0 / 3.
Goalies-Madison, Berzins 1-0-0-0 (29 shots-28 saves). Waterloo, Spicer 0-2-0-0 (31 shots-29 saves).
