BOX SCORE

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO –Cash Cruitt earned his first USHL shutout as the Madison Capitols blanked the Youngstown Phantoms (36-13-3-1, 76pts) 2-0 Thursday night at the Covelli Centre. The win was the 100^th regular season win for Madison head coach Andy Brandt.

Youngstown had a great look on the game's opening shift, but Ryan Whiterabbit was not able to cash in on the back door play as he came down the near side. Eero Butella opened the scoring, firing home a one-timer at 6:59 for his 10^th of a season and first as a Capitol. Madison doubled their lead at 7:49 of the second when Ville Vaarala put a rebound past Tobias Trejbal to the short side for his sixth of the season.

The Phantoms had a few good chances in the second to cut into the Madison advantage, but Cooper Simpson's pass to Ryan Whiterabbit bounced off Whiterabbit's stick in front of an empty net and a later redirect attempt form Malachi McKinnon hit the post. Youngstown earned the game's only power play with 6:06 left in the third, but Madison kept them off the board to preserve the shutout.

Cruitt stopped all 27 shots he saw, earning his first win since December. Trejbal, who stopped 14-of-16, has lost back-to-back decisions in regulation for the first time all season. Youngstown has been shutout by Madison in the last two games the teams have played at Covelli, with Caleb Heil blanking the Phantoms 1-0 on March 7 last season.

Youngstown and Madison continue their 3-in-3 weekend with a 7:05pm Eastern puck drop on Friday night.

BY THE NUMBERS
Shots – 27
Saves – 14
Power Play – 0/1
Penalty Kill – 0/0
Goals – none
Assists – none