The Green Bay Gamblers will play just one game this weekend, facing the Madison Capitols on Friday, December 9 on home ice at the Resch Center. This will be the fifth matchup between the teams this season. The Gamblers are currently 3-1 against Madison, winning the last three games in a row against the Capitols. The last game between the teams was on November 23 when the Gamblers won 5-3 at the Resch Center. With just a three-point difference between the second and seventh teams in the USHL Eastern Conference standings, Green Bay will have a chance to gain some ground in their one game.
The Gamblers hold a 10-8-1-1 record and are currently fourth in the USHL Eastern Conference with 22 points. Some players to watch for include Matt DiMarisco and Ray Vitolins.
DiMarsico has put together a nice season for the Gamblers so far. The forward is second on the team with 16 points, including a balanced eight goals and assists to his name. The Penn State commit is also coming off a two-point game in the USHL American Cup Series this past weekend. DiMarsico also has a history of scoring against the Capitols, posting his first USHL hat trick against the team earlier in the season. Watch for him to continue his scoring ways.
Vitolins is also coming off a good weekend for the Gamblers. In the team’s latest game, he posted three helpers, getting himself back to top 20 in the league with 13 on the year. The Latvia native is another player with a good history against Madison. Vitolins also had three assists in the last matchup between the teams on November 26. Look for him to post some more assists this Friday.
The Madison Capitols have a 6-12-0-1 record and are currently eighth in the USHL Eastern Conference with 13 points. Some players to watch for include Nathan Lewis and Andrew Kuzma.
Lewis is back with Madison for his second year. Last season, he had just 14 points in 43 games. This season, he’s already surpassed his points total from last season with 15 in less than half the games. The UMass commit also has a nice points streak going, posting at least one goal or assist in his last three games. Look for him to potentially keep the streak going against the Gamblers.
Kuzma is also in his second year in the USHL, but his route to the Capitols was a little different than Lewis. After five games with the Des Moines Buccaneers and no points, he was traded to Madison. Since then, Kuzma has been the hot hand for the Capitols. He’s 11 points in 11 games, coming from three goals and eight assists. Since his first two games with Madison in late October, the forward’s only failed to score points in one game. It’s fair to say Kuzma is in impressive form, so watch out for him to give the Gamblers trouble.
Puck drop is at 7:05 PM on Friday at the Resch Center. You can watch the game live on FloSports at www.flohockey.tv. You can get your tickets at www.gamblershockey.com.
