Red-Hot Bruins Cool Streaking Wilderness
Published on February 21, 2015 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release
The NAHL's hottest road team conquered a different beast in a battle of two first place teams Friday. The Austin Bruins (28-10-11), who have gone 10-1-1 away from home since Thanksgiving, knocked off the Minnesota Wilderness (32-10-5) in a shootout 4-3 at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet, snapping Minnesota's six-game winning streak.
The Bruins started right where they left off Saturday, when the team routed Brookings 7-1 back in Austin. Captain Brian Bachnak (Riverview, MI) knocked in a rebound 28 seconds into the game to put the Bruins in front early.
Minnesota answered, though, when Dan Litchke (Superior, WI) fired a wrist shot past Austin goalie Jake Kielly (Eden Prairie, MN) from high in the slot to tie the game 1-1 at 8:35 of the period. But short-handed a few minutes later, the Bruins number-one ranked penalty kill scored its ninth goal of the year.
On the play, Alex Jasiek (St. Louis, MO) forced a Wilderness turnover in their own zone and fed Cory Dunn (Trenton, MI) who was cutting in from the point. Dunn ripped a shot past Ryan Anderson (Roseau, MN) to give Austin the 2-1 going into the first intermission.
35 seconds into the second period, Josh Wilkins (Cary, NC) followed his own shot and on a wraparound, banked the puck off of a Minnesota defenseman's skate and in to open the Bruins lead to 3-1. The Wilderness again had an answer. On a 3-on-1 rush, Aaron Miller (Superior, WI) partially fanned on a shot from between the circles and it ricocheted off Kielly's pad and in. Again Austin carried a one-goal lead into the break.
The only goal in the third frame tied the game for the Wilderness. Tyler Cline (Blaine, MN) sent a streaking Isak Bergland (Thief River Falls, MN) in on a breakaway, and the rookie snapped a quick shot past the Bruins' netminder to force a third consecutive overtime between these two teams.
After a scoreless five-minute overtime, Austin swept the shootout 3-0, thanks to a couple of huge pad saves by Kielly and sweet goals from Nico Sturm (Augsburg, Germany), Liam Feeney (Foxboro, MA) and Ian Scheid (Coon Rapids, MN). The win is Kielly's 16th of his rookie season, and he stopped 22 shots en route, but none bigger than the three in the shootout.
The Bruins and Wilderness will skate again Saturday night, with big playoff implications, 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.
North American Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2015
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- Bruins Sweep Wilderness, Clinch Playoffs - Austin Bruins
- IceRays Earn Second Shutout in Shootout Win, 1-0 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Jaeger Tallies Twice To Lead 'Cats Past Bulls - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Shorthanded - Minot Minotauros
- Romzek's Hat Trick Boosts Ice Miners over Ice Dogs - Keystone Ice Miners
- Tomahawks Open Alaska Road Trip with 3-1 Win - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Bobcats Stunned in Final Minute - Bismarck Bobcats
- Red-Hot Bruins Cool Streaking Wilderness - Austin Bruins
- Bulls Dump Cats 7-3 - Amarillo Bulls
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