Special Teams Decides Close Win against Minnesota
NAHL Austin Bruins

Special Teams Decides Close Win against Minnesota

Published on January 31, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release


FOREST LAKE, MINN. - Not all wins need to be pretty, and that sure was the case Saturday night in Forest Lake. The Austin Bruins (28-8-2-1, 59 pts) squeezed by the Minnesota Mallards (7-25-2-1, 17 pts) thanks to a pair of power play goals to win their sixth straight game. The win marked the first time this year that the Black and Gold emerged victorious while scoring two or fewer goals.

Nathan Williams made sure his point streak would extend another game, firing a wrist shot from the blue line past Mallards goalie Connor Mackenzie on the power play at 6:35 in the first period to take a 1-0 lead. Williams has five goals and 24 points in his last 15 straight games. The captain's eight goals this season place him in the top ten among NAHL defenseman.

Siamion Marshchanok extended his own point streak on Williams' goal. Marshchanok's assist was his 52nd point in 24 straight games. The Belarusian also becomes just the fourth skater in Austin Bruins history to record a 70-point season,

Alex Perrault would serve a double minor after first being dinged for a checking from behind before after whistle activities also earned him an unsportsmanlike minor with just under three minutes remaining in the period.

The Black and Gold successfully killed the first 2:44 to take the game into first intermission, but Minnesota's Cohen Hoening would take just 19 seconds in the second to tie the game up at one.

An early third period hooking put the Bruins back on the power play for just the third time on the night, and that's all the team needed to take the lead. Matsvei Marshchanok took a drop pass from Williams before slicing through the Mallards defense and sniping a short side goal over Mackenzie's shoulder for the game winner.

Matsvei finished the weekend with two goals and two assists, bringing his own streak to 12 points in six straight contests.

Jack Solomon's win marks the second year Bruins' 38th of his career, one away from tying Trent Wiemken for most career wins for a Bruins goaltender.

Thanks to a Bismarck Bobcats overtime loss, the Bruins currently hold a five-point lead in first place in the Central Division to close out January.

Austin faces off with the St. Cloud Norsemen in a home and home series for Paint the Rink Pink Weekend. On February 7th, the Bruins will host their annual Paint the Rink Pink game to raise cancer awareness and funds for cancer research at The Hormel Institute.

Tickets for the game are available by visiting tickets.austinbruins.com or can be purchased through the Bruins front office by calling 507-434-4978. Limited tickets are available at our ticket vendors: Games People Play, Hyvee and Jim's Marketplace.

Official Paint the Rink Pink merchandise is available at the BruinStore at Riverside arena or by visiting our online store at BruinStore.biz. All t-shirt sales, jersey auction sales, and other proceeds will benefit cancer research at the Hormel Institute.

Check out the Austin Bruins Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2026


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