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Subscribe To Our Newsletter Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter containing the latest news, stats, and inside information about your favorite GLHL team and players! Click here to read our latest edition. November 20, 2009: Pioneers 8 Capitals 6 Portage Lake tops Vernon Hills 8-6 The Portage Lake Pioneers drove 400 miles from Houghton, MI to take on the Capitals last Friday night at Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills. Caps' fans witnessed a game that was ultimately decided by the outstanding play of the Pioneer's goaltender, Jared Detrick. The Capitals out-shot -- and, for most of the game, out-played -- the Pioneers, but Portage Lake capitalized on several defensive zone mistakes made by the Capitals to take the lead 7-6 late in the third period. The game ended with the Capitals pulling their goalie for an extra attacker and the Pioneers scoring an empty net goal with 2 seconds remaining to make it 8-6. The Capitals wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving! Please be safe while traveling. We also wish all the youth hockey players the best of luck in this weeks' tournament games at Glacier Ice Arena. Go Ice Dogs! The Capitals play on the road this weekend in Mosinee and league capital Eagle River. The team will be without its captain, who was injured in the game against Portage Lake. The Capitals return home on Friday, December 4 at 8PM vs. Oregon (Wisc.) Stampede. Two weeks ago the Caps thrilled their home-opener crowd with a 6-5 shoot-out victory over Oregon. The Stampede will be seeking revenge when they return to Vernon Hills on Dec. 4. Tickets are on sale now and at the ticket counter starting at 7:15PM. The Capitals "Press Room" will re-open for the Oregon game at 7:30PM on December 4. The "Press Room" is a team fundraiser where fans can watch the game in a heated private room or stand right behind the goal and get an up-close view of the action. All guests must be 21 to purchase "Press Room" passes. November 14, 2009 - Home Opener: Capitals 6 Stampede 5 Caps top Oregon Stampede 6-5 in shootout! With help from a good home crowd, the band Enkase and the debut of the Capitals "Press Room" for fans over the age of 21, the Vernon Hills Capitals defeated the Oregon (Wisc.) Stampede 6-5 in a shootout Saturday night in the team's 2009-2010 home opener. The Capitals opened up the scoring with a powerplay goal at 17:56 in the first period by Mike Barnes (22) from Zack Kozack (23). The first period ended with the Capitals leading 3-1. In the second period the Capitals were called for five penalties, but held off Oregon's powerplay units. The Caps scored twice in the period. Dan Statsny (8) scored first, assisted by Bobby Siers (10) and Ben Loss (24). The second goal of the period was Matt Greenwood's (7), assisted by Zack Kozak (23) and Mike Barnes (22). The second period ended with the Capitals leading 5-2. But the game was far from over. In the third period Oregon was determined to give the home team a battle. The Stampede started the period with a goal in the first two minutes. Oregon tied the game 5-5 with a power play goal from Nolan Baker (19), assisted by Cam Nelson (7) and Chris Oleson (25), with 7:01 left in the period. Both teams battled to take the lead in the third but the game remained tied at the end of regulation time. Five minutes were put on the clock and the home crowd watched both teams skate end-to-end with chances. But neither team could score in overtime. For the second time this season the Capitals went to a shootout to resolve a GLHL South Division game. Oregon shot first but goalie Doug Bair held his ground and denied the Stampede. The second shooter for the Stampede, Dan Karlander (33), scored to put Oregon up 1-0 in the shootout. But the Capitals answered when Dale Michonski (27) and Bobby Siers (10) both scored, putting the home team up 2-1. Doug Bair made the final stop against the Stampede's Andrew Haase (17), ending the game and giving the Capitals the team's first overtime win in franchise history. The Capitals are home again this Friday, November 20 at 8PM vs. Portage Lake (Mich.) Pioneers of the GLHL North Division. The teams will take to the ice at 7:30PM for warm-ups. Tickets are on sale now and at the ticket counter starting at 7:15PM. The Capitals "Press Room" opens at 7:30PM. The "Press Room" is a team fundraiser where fans can watch the game in a heated private room or stand right behind the goal and get an up-close view of the action. All guests must be 21 to purchase "Press Room" passes. Caps support local youth hockey teams Three Capitals players, assitant captain Kalle Larsson (18), Erich Klemm (9) and goalie Doug Bair (22), assisted IDHL squirt house level director Clint Vogler during the program's house league practices this past Saturday. The youth hockey players enjoyed having the Capitals helping them during practices. There were lots of smiles from both the little players and the big ones. Remember all kids (under 16) get in free to Capitals home games if they wear their jerseys! October 24, 2009 at Fond du Lac: Bears 3 Capitals 2 (SO) Capitals Surrender to Bears in Shootout The Vernon Hills Capitals traveled to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Saturday to play the defending national champion Fond du Lac Bears. Fond du Lac's Blue Line Ice Center was buzzing with excitement as thirsty fans prepared for a true barn burner between the Capitals and Bears. The game marked the first regular season game for both the Capitals and Bears, and was the first meeting of four between the two GLHL South Division rivals.  The Bears put the first tally on the board at 8:27 into the first period. During the first period fans saw a hard-fought battle as both teams had plenty of opportunities to score, but the play of Capitals' goalie Doug Bair and Bears' goalie Scott Sarauer was too much for both offenses. A typically high-scoring Fond du Lac Bears team headed into the first intermission with only a one goal lead.After a motivational speech delivered by Capitals' General Manager Warren Sundt during the first intermission, the Capitals struck first in the second period with an impressive goal by newcomer Zach Kozak. Kozak showed poise and speed as he beat Bears' defensemen to the outside and buried the first Capitals goal of the 2009-2010 season just 20 seconds into the second period. The remainder of the second period featured another great display of goaltending at both ends, as both teams' goaltenders made their own highlight reels of tremendous saves. The Capitals, however, were finally able to breech Bears' goalie Scott SarauerŐs levy when Zach Kozak picked up his second goal of the night on assists from Mike Barnes and Dan Stastny with 3:30 to play in the second period. Despite a hard offensive push by Fond du Lac near the end of the second period, the Capitals headed to the locker room with a 2-1 lead going into the second intermission. Fond du Lac scored early in the third period to knot the score at two apiece. The remainder of the third period led to a stalemate of sort as both teams pushed hard for the winning goal. Regulation time ended with 2-2 tie. Overtime offered much of the same as regulation time: strong offensive pushes only to be nullified by great defense and goaltending at both ends of the ice. The five minute overtime ended and placed the Capitals in their first shootout in franchise history. After two shootout rounds during which the Capitals failed to score, Fond du LacŐs last shooter lit the lamp and ended the game. The Capitals suffered their first loss of the season but picked up one point in divisional standings. In other notables, Capitals goaltender Doug Bair made 42 saves in the loss. The Capitals will next travel to Fox Cities on November 6, 2009 to take on the Fox Cities Ice Dogs. October 23, 2009: Capitals Ready to Open 2009-10 Season The Vernon Hills Capitals will drop the puck on the 2009-2010 season this Saturday vs. their GLHL South Division rival, the Fond du Lac Bears in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The 2009-2010 season marks the second campaign for the Capitals, who enter the season with high hopes of earning a post-season berth. The Capitals will play 26 Great Lakes Hockey League games this season, all holding significance as the team marches towards Magnuson Cup. General Manager Warren Sundt could not be happier with the team at this point. "We have some promising prospects this year, we have more depth and we bolstered our defensive core," Sundt said. The Capitals recruited heavily during the off-season, and have worked to rebuild a team that found itself winning only four regular season games in 2008-09. "There are a lot of new faces, but we welcome it. It's no doubt we struggled a bit last year, especially at defense, so I can't wait to see what we can do this season,' said Capitals defenseman Brandon Pokrzewinski in a phone interview. This Capitals will play two road games before heading back to Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills on Saturday November 14 for their home opener. The team has its work cut out for it as it plays two of the top GLHL teams in its first two road games: the Fon du Lac Bears and the Fox Cities Ice Dogs. The Capitals will continue to define their roster within the next few weeks and have high hopes of coming back to their home ice with two victories under their proverbial belts. Please help support the Capitals in the 2009-2010 season. The team would also like to thank its sponsors that have helped despite economic turbulence! |
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Our March 6 game was dedicated to the memory of Sondro Kolb's mother, Luana Garatti. We all have Sondro, and the entire Kolb family, in our thoughts.
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