
Bruins Sweep Mallards with 5-3 Win Saturday
November 17, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release
AUSTIN, MINN. - The Austin Bruins' point streak rolled on Saturday night as the Bruins (12-5-1-1) secured a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Mallards (6-13-0-1). The win marks nine straight games securing a point for the Black and Gold. The Bruins remain undefeated (3-0) against the Central Division newcomers and notched their second weekend sweep of the season.
The Bruins dominated early, firing 18 first-period shots to the Mallards' four. A pair of penalties gave Austin a five-on-three power-play advantage, and Alex Laurenza capitalized with a short-side snipe past Zane Spaniol to open the scoring. Just 36 seconds later, still on the power play, Ashton Bynum doubled the lead with his second goal of the season. Laurenza struck again at 14:11, recording his 14th goal of the year and putting Austin ahead 3-0 after one.
Determined to bounce back from Friday's 7-1 loss, the Mallards came out strong in the second period, starting with three unanswered shots. Ben Tauscher got Minnesota on the board with a quick-release goal off the draw, and minutes later, he added another on the power play after Gustav Svantesson restored Austin's three-goal cushion. Despite the Mallards' push, the Bruins held a commanding 23-7 shot advantage in the middle frame and a 4-2 lead heading into the third.
Late in the second, a fight between Trey Gnetz of Minnesota and Tyler Shaver of Austin gave the Mallards a chance, with Gnetz assessed only a minor penalty compared to Shaver's five-minute major. The Mallards seized the momentum early in the third, narrowing the deficit to 4-3 on Eli Bailey's one-timer at 4:02.
However, Laurenza dashed Minnesota's comeback hopes, completing his second hat trick of the season at 12:08. The Bruins shut down the Mallards' offense from there, with Jack Solomon standing tall to preserve the win. The Bruins finished the game outshooting the Mallards 54-20.
With the sweep, the Bruins hold second place in the Central Division with 26 points, trailing first-place Bismarck by nine and leading third-place St. Cloud by one.
The Bruins return to action on November 22 and 23 at Riverside Arena against the Watertown Shamrocks. Fans attending Saturday's game are encouraged to bring teddy bears for the annual Teddy Bear Toss, where stuffed animals are thrown onto the ice after the Bruins' first goal. All donations will go to the Salvation Army in Austin. Tickets are available at tickets.austinbruins.com.
• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...
North American Hockey League Stories from November 17, 2024
- Last Home Game Day Of The Year - Anchorage Wolverines
- Bruins Sweep Mallards with 5-3 Win Saturday - Austin Bruins
- Wings Drop Two to Minot over the Away Weekend - Aberdeen Wings
- Cole Christian Secures Two Goals, Danny Bagnole 'Bags' One in Wolverines Win - Anchorage Wolverines
- Weekend Recap November 15th & 16th - Minot Minotauros
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
