Men’s Ice Hockey | 4\/17\/2026 9:43:15 PM<\/p>\n
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Madison Capitols 2, Youngstown Phantoms 1 | VIDEO RECAP<\/a><\/p>\n Behind a spectacular 32-save performance from Caleb Heil<\/a>, the Madison Capitols edged out the Youngstown Phantoms 2\u20131 on Friday night. With the victory, Madison takes a 1\u20130 lead in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Semifinals.<\/p>\n Tyden Bergeson<\/a> opened the scoring for the Caps at the 6:24 mark of the first period, scoring from the left-wing circle. Shots were even 8\u20138, but Madison took a 1\u20130 lead into the locker room after the opening 20 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n After a scoreless second period, Bergeson doubled Madison\u2019s lead near the midway point of the third, converting on a backhander off a partial breakaway.\u00a0<\/p>\n Youngstown refused to go quietly, mounting a late surge, with Cooper Simpson<\/a> finding the back of the net to make it a one-goal game. Despite the late pressure and an 11\u20135 shot advantage for Youngstown in the final frame, the Capitols’ defensive structure held firm to secure the narrow road victory. Dubuque Fighting Saints 2, Muskegon Lumberjacks 1 | VIDEO RECAP<\/a><\/p>\n The Dubuque Fighting Saints relied on a late third-period surge to edge the Muskegon Lumberjacks 2\u20131 on Friday night. With the victory, Dubuque takes a 1\u20130 lead in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Semifinals.<\/p>\n After a scoreless 40 minutes, the deadlock finally broke midway through the third period. At 10:42, Melvin Ekman<\/a> found the back of the net when he turned and fired a shot from the slot to give Dubuque the 1\u20130 advantage. Under eight minutes later, Xavier Lieb<\/a> doubled the Saints lead in what proved to be the game-winning goal on Friday.<\/p>\n With their net empty, Muskegon responded with under one minute left in regulation to make it a one-goal game again. Niles Benson<\/a> fired a wrister from above the left-wing circle and found the back of the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, it proved to be too little, too late, as Dubuque hung on to clinch Game 1 of the series.<\/p>\n Vojtech Hambalek<\/a> picked up the win in net for the Saints, turning aside all 25 shots sent his way.<\/p>\n Sioux Falls Stampede 5, Lincoln Stars 2 | VIDEO RECAP<\/a> The Stampede wasted no time asserting its dominance on home ice. Grimes opened the scoring just 3:21 into the first period, and Jake Prunty<\/a> doubled the lead late in the frame with a power-play tally on a shot from the point.<\/p>\n Sioux Falls held an 11\u20138 advantage in shots on goal and took a two-goal lead into the locker room after the first 20 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lincoln showed signs of life in the second period when Kade Kohanski<\/a> cut the deficit to one at the 13:11 mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the momentum was short-lived. Grimes struck again just over two minutes later, netting his second of the night to restore the Stampede\u2019s two-goal lead heading into the final frame.<\/p>\n In the third period, Anthony Bongo<\/a> extended the Sioux Falls lead to 4\u20131, scoring from the side of the cage. While Lincoln\u2019s Layne Loomer<\/a> found the net midway through the frame to keep things interesting, the Stars could not overcome a massive 16\u20136 shot disadvantage in the period.\u00a0<\/p>\n J.J. Monteiro<\/a> iced the contest with an empty-netter at 18:09 to secure the Game 1 win.<\/p>\n
\nHeil picked up the win in net, turning aside 32-of-33.<\/p>\n
\nMatthew Grimes<\/a> scored twice, and Sioux Falls skated past Lincoln in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n