Bruins Force Game Five with 4-2 Win over Aberdeen
Published on May 9, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release
ABERDEEN, SD - The Austin Bruins kept their season alive Saturday night with a 4-2 win in game four of the Central Division Final over the Aberdeen Wings.
After not having a single power play opportunity in Friday's game three, the Bruins found themselves with two chances in the first ten minutes of the opening frame.
The NAHL's regular season power play goal leader, EJ Paddington, broke the Bruins scoreless streak, burying a rebound chance at 10:05 in the first to take their first lead since game one. The Bruins would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission, the first time all postseason the Black and Gold led after the first period.
The Bruins added to their lead early in the second after Mikey Coleman dangled his way from the blue line to the crease, bounding the puck off of Aberdeen's Willum Braun's pads, setting up an easy clean up by Zander Lipsett to extend the lead to two.
Aberdeen would join the scoring on a one timer from defenseman Cooper Anderson that was blasted by Cody Butikis to cut the lead in half at 12:11 in the second.
The Bruins held their lead into the start of the third period. Just over six minutes in, Anthony Ciaramitaro fired a shot that bounced past Butikis to tie the game up for the first time since the first period.
Just as the game looked like it could head into overtime, the Bruins created chaos netfront. With Braun scrambling, Coleman fired a shot off the rebound past Braun to give the Bruins their lead back with 2:27 to go left in regulation.
Sam Kline provided the dagger with an empty net goal with 1:04 left to go in the game to force a deciding game five on Monday.
Butikis, in his postseason debut, stopped 24 of 26 shots faced picking up his first career NAHL postseason victory. The Bruins head back to Austin for a winner take all game five on Monday to decide a Central Division Champion and who heads to Blaine to battle for the Robertson Cup. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm on Monday May 11th at Riverside Arena in Austin. All tickets are just $5 and are available at tickets.austinbruins.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from May 9, 2026
- Staying Alive: Dziver Returns to Lead Game 3 Win - Minnesota Wilderness
- Wilderness Post Decisive Win to Force Game 5 - Minnesota Wilderness
- Bruins Force Game Five with 4-2 Win over Aberdeen - Austin Bruins
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