Bruins' Offense Sputters in Cloquet
November 22, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release
The once high-powered Austin Bruins (10-5-7) offense was held in check for the most part Friday. The Bruins attack managed just one goal on 30 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wilderness at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet, MN.
About halfway into the opening period, a series of penalties led to a 4-on-3 power-play for the Wilderness. With one second left on the man-advantage Bradley Johnson (Chesterfield, MO - Ohio State) blasted a one-timer through the five-hole of Bruins goalie Jake Kielly (Eden Prairie, MN) for his first NAHL goal. Minnesota outshot Austin 15-11 in the first.
Early in the second period, Niklas Lehtimaki (Klukainen, Finland) rang a shot of the crossbar and in to give the Wilderness a 2-0 lead. The play was set-up by a terrific centering pass from Jack Forbort (Duluth, MN). The Bruins took a narrow shots advantage by the end of the second (22-21), but couldn t solve Minnesota goaltender Brock Kautz (Rochester, MN).
The Bruins cut the lead in half, when JC Maclean (Basking Ridge, NJ) scored on the team s third power-play, shooting a rebound through Kautz s five-hole from low in the right circle. However, when Billy Exell (Thunder Bay, ON) picked up a loose puck at center ice in stride and sped past the flat-footed Bruins defense on a breakaway, he beat Kielly to crush any momentum Austin had gained. Kautz withstood a few more flurries of chances to keep the lead en route to victory.
Kielly made 27 saves in what was his first career loss in regulation, while Kautz stopped 28 in his ninth win.
The Bruins and Wilderness will skate again Saturday night at 7:05pm at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet. The game can be seen on fasthockey.com, with coverage starting at 6:55. The Bruins then return to Austin for a game Wednesday against the Janesville Jets at Riverside Arena at 7:05.
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