It was Heavy Metal and Horror Night on Saturday as the Gamblers faced off against the Eastern Conference-leading Madison Capitols. It was Green Bay’s lone game on the weekend and Madison was coming off of a shootout win against Cedar Rapids the night before.
Tempers were flaring early in this one with the two teams combining for 48 PIMs and one ejection in the first period alone. After being checked from behind, Gamblers Defenseman Pavel Bocharov sought his revenge and squared up against the guilty party, Aidan Shirley. Shirley was given an additional 10 minute misconducted for the play in addition to the checking from behind penalty.
A too many men penalty on the Gamblers would prove costly as the Capitols scored just a few seconds into the man advantage taking a 1-0 lead on the goal from Mason Moe (3). It wouldn’t take long for the intensity to rise again as just one minute after the goal Gamblers forward Nick Knutson and Capitols forward Harper Searless dropped the gloves. Knutson was landing with several punches before the two ultimately ended up on the ice. After a wild first period, it was the Capitols 1 and the Gamblers 0. However, as we have seen so many already in the young season the Gamblers fire back in the second. Forward Aidan Park (5) would light the lamp on the Power Play with assists from Katzin and Zellers.
It was a hard and heavy game from the drop of the puck and third period was no different. A slashing call on the Gamblers put them down a man with just over seven minutes to play in the 1-1 game. The Gamblers would then take a four minute double minor for high sticking, making it 5-3 and the Capitols took advantage. A goal from Colton Jamieson (2) would put the Capitols up 2-1 late in the third.
The Gamblers would kill off the rest of the penalty and rally late with a few chances, but ultimately it wasn’t enough and they fell 2-1 to Madison. All of the goals in this one came on the Power Play. Gamblers goaltender Gavin Moffatt stopped 26 of the 28 shots that we faced. Green Bay is back at the Resch Center this Friday for the start of a home and home series against the Chicago Steel. Puck drop is 7:05PM.
