Weekend Preview: Capitols Travel to Fargo
The Madison Capitols (25-15-0-3) will travel to Fargo, North Dakota, this weekend to face the Fargo Force (25-16-0-2), who are second in the Western Conference. The Capitols and Force met earlier in the season at the Fall Classic in a game that Fargo won 4-3 after scoring four unanswered goals. Fargo enters the weekend riding a four-game winning streak, while Madison dropped its last game to Tri-City. Prior to that loss, the Capitols had won seven straight. The Force have only lost six games at home this season, one coming in a shootout. This weekend's series will be the last time the Capitols and Force meet in the regular season.

TEAM LEADERS:
Madison:
Goals - Sam Kappell (21)
Assists - Jet Kwajah, Ronan Buckberger (18)
Points - Sam Kappell (31)

Fargo:
Goals - Graham Jones (18)
Assists - Kolin Sisson (23)
Points - Kolin Sisson (38) 

Capitols Acquire Sammy Smith in Trade with Janesville Jets
The Madison Capitols acquired forward Sammy Smith last week in a trade with the Janesville Jets of the NAHL. Smith was drafted by Madison 69th overall in the 2024 USHL Phase II Draft and has played the past two seasons as an affiliate. The Geneva, Illinois, native recorded 30 points in 77 games over the past two seasons. Smith appeared in four games for the Capitols this season as a call-up; he registered two goals, both in the same game. He joins the Capitols' active roster and will play his seventh and eighth games in a Madison uniform this weekend.

Jet Kwajah Riding a Five-Game Point Streak
Madison Capitols blueliner Jet Kwajah will enter this weekend riding a five-game point streak. The Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada product has tallied seven points in his last five games, including a three-assist game against the Omaha Lancers. Kwajah has nearly doubled his production compared to this point last season. In 40 games this season, Kwajah has recorded 21 points, including 18 assists, which is tied for second most on the team. 

Heil Keeps the Crease Clean, Records Third Shutout of the Year
Capitols goaltender Caleb Heil recorded his third shutout of the season last weekend against the Tri-City Storm. Heil denied all 18 shots from the Storm on his way to earning his 18th win of the season. Heil is tied for second in the USHL for the most shutouts, owns the league's third-best goals against average at 2.21, and ranks in the top 10 among all goaltenders with a .906 save percentage. The North Dakota commit played a key role in Madison's seven-game winning streak, holding up between the pipes in six of the seven wins. In those six games, no team scored more than two goals in a single game when Heil was in net.

Alumni Report: Haralds Egle Represents Capitols at Olympics
Former Madison Capitols forward Haralds Egle is set to make his Olympic debut for Latvia. He will be one of 46 former USHL players to compete in Milan, Italy, in the 2026 Winter Olympics.  The 29-year-old is a native of Liepaja, Latvia, and skated for the Capitols in 78 games from 2014 to 2016. Egle led Madison with 44 points during the 2014-15 season, including 26 assists and three game-winning goals. He appeared in 24 games the following year and recorded 19 points before finishing the 2015-16 season with the Chicago Steel. Egle is tied for fifth all time in the Capitols' Tier I era with 10 career power-play goals.