A great response from the Madison Capitols after going down early in the game. The Lumberjacks were able to strike first but the punch back from the Capitols proved too much, an unassisted late into the third period to go up two really took any momentum that the Lumberjacks had out of their team.
| Will Felicio | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | D | 5’10” | 160 | Denver | 2025 | Holden, MA | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Felicio has excellent offensive ability. There’s some creativity in his game, and he certainly has high-end vision. He showed his creativity with multiple swivel hips, drawing defenders in and making little slip passes for easy outs. Defensively, however, there’s a lot left to be desired, and he’s going to need to get stronger to avoid being pushed around. He uses his stick well but disengages from contact below the goal line. He is a smooth skater who gets up and down the ice efficiently and this ultimately saves him from missed assignments in his own end.
| Charlie Michaud | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | D | 5’11” | 180 | Miami (Ohio) | 2025 | Denver, CO | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: When Michaud gets the puck in the neutral zone, he does a good job at getting his head around to see what the coverage looks like. His ‘right up’ mentality traps forecheckers and created odd man rushes the other way. He can create these rushes on his own with his skating but likes to move the puck first. At times, in fact, it was him rushing the puck that caused breakdowns the other way. He has some risk to his game wanting to create constant offense. Quarterbacks the in the offensive zone well making the smart decision of when to shoot and when to distribute.
| Patriks Berzins | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 165 | Maine | 2023 | Talsi | 2003 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Berzins showed tonight that he has size and athleticism but could use a lot more shots early for him to get into the game. He just seemed shaky at times, dropping pucks that clearly should have been caught. He played a great game making saves that needed extra slide across the crease and challenged shooters cutting their space. With minutes logged you can tell he will find that time to hit what appears to be a pretty high ceiling. Regardless of how he stopped pucks tonight, after getting scored on first, the resilience he showed to stay with it and compete for his team was a big reason why they won.
| Andrew Kuzma | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | F | 6’0″ | 198 | Maine | 2024 | Naperville, IL | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Kuzma was able to show his puck skills and creativity, which are big hallmarks of his game. He had no trouble making an extra stick handle in tight under pressure. At times tonight you could question his commitment off the puck, his shift-to-shift effort levels and his defensive game. He’s extremely intelligent in the offensive zone with a couple no look passes that could look risky but he knew exactly what he was doing and where the player was going to be. player who isn’t afraid to take some chances but also understands when it’s appropriate to take them
| Max Nagel | Madison Capitols | USHL | R | F | 5’8″ | 156 | Colgate | 2024 | West St. Paul, MN | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Nagel is a smaller forward who plays like he is bigger than he is. He was able to get on the board tonight netting the empty netter and the fact that he was out there looking to defend says a lot about his game. He has the feet to beat you in a race and the snarl to out muscle you at the puck. He does make up for his size with how hard he works. Obviously having the net be empty is extra motivation but the way he was able to create a turnover and jump out of his skates, no one can catch him.
| Nathan Tobey | Madison Capitols | USHL | R | D | 6’0″ | 170 | Quinnipiac | 2024 | Lantana, TX | 2005 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Tobey does a good job at keeping the play in front of him. His two way defensive style is effective when he can force everything in front of him. Whether that means using his feet or his passing, offensively, he is a distributor. He usually beats one guy before the puck is moved to another zone. Defensively, he does a good job at staying on the defensive side of the puck, when pucks are caught along the wall or in corners, he reads the flow well and does not get beat back to the net, in this case he also is not afraid to be physical in these types of situations.
| Finn Brink | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | LW | 5’10” | 178 | Wisconsin | 2024 | Plymouth, MN | 2005 | 2023-2024: C2022-2023: C |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Brink is an especially intriguing player because of his exceptional skill level, but his size is a drawback. He could definitely stand to be quicker, and if he can strengthen his base some more, it will mitigate those size concerns. Couple times tonight he was bumped off the puck easily but the positive part was he was able to draw penalties. What he does really well is beat opponents to space without the puck. When he is trying to be covered, he is able to get lost with quick feet and having a sense of where the open ice is, as well as where his teammates are.
| Ty Henricks | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL | L | LW | 6’4″ | 205 | Western Michigan | 2024 | Las Vegas, NV | 2005 | 2022-2023: C+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Henricks flashes an ability to dominate on the puck in the offensive zone with his blend of power and skill. At 6’4, he can be a real load for defenders below the hash marks. He has these shifts where he’s able to maintain possession for extended periods and is able to create by driving the net with an explosive push that catches defenders off guard. The unique style about Henricks is that he wants to use his feet first rather than rely on his size. Even defensively, he is able to stay with smaller speed players keeping them to the outside where they have to play against him. If they try to drive inside his size takes over.
| Hunter Anderson | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL | L | F | 5’9″ | 176 | Denver | 2024 | Faribault, MN | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Anderson wants the puck on his stick and has the skill deception to make plays happen. Did a really good job at finding space on entries whether that was cutting to the middle right after the blue line, or taking defenseman low, only to cutback and attack back up the wall. He can keep the puck on his stick and showed this by maneuvering through the slot beating a couple defenders before eventually getting his shot off. His agility and puck skills make him a threat anytime with space in the offensive zone.
| Joe Connor | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL | L | F | 5’10” | 175 | Northeastern | 2024 | Amherst, NH | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B
Comments: With Connor, there is no questioning his work ethic, nor his ability to make the little plays required of a player of his skill. He can shoot from mid-distance or get to the net to finish off plays. Where he was real noticeable tonight was his ability to finish at the net. Usually it was his play without the puck where you saw him create space on his own. He did little habits that landed him eyeballs like wanting to initiate scrums in front of the net when lose pucks are available.
| Matvei Gridin | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL | L | LW | 6’0″ | 181 | Kurgan, RUS | 2006 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Gridin possesses the size, skating, and skill that makes his coach want to keep him out there, which is why he logged the minutes that he did. There is still some refining to be done but he plays his game at full speed. He was able to show tonight that he can move and handle the puck at full speed like a smaller player. He gets up and down the ice very well for a bigger player, gets to the middle of the ice with relative ease. Tonight he made a couple plays where defenders would rush in to play him, he would reverse hit, creating space that he would use to make plays. Hard to play against below the goal line and along the wall.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images