BROOKINGS, SD – The Bruins never trailed in regulation, but Paul Cotter’s goal in the fourth round of a shootout clinched a 3-2 win for the Brookings Blizzard on Sunday afternoon at Larson Ice Center.
After a scoreless first period, containing 15 Bruins shots, Charlie Spetz broke through at 2:58 of the second period, blasting a shot from the left point past Blizzard goalie Josh Boyko. Brookings tied the game at 12:28 when a 2-on-0 shorthanded breakaway allowed Gunnar Goodmanson to finish a Zach Mitchell pass for a 1-1 tie at the end of two periods.
At 3:32 of the third, Dan Petrick scored his third goal of the weekend, jamming home a loose puck after an AJ Drobot power play wraparound attempt. Brookings tied the game again at 10:04 when Chase Brand got open in front of the net and took a pass from Nicholas Cardelli. Neither team was able to score in the five minute sudden death 3-on-3 overtime.
The first six shooters were all stopped in the shootout by Boyko and Bruins netminder Alex Schilling. In the fourth round after Jan Stefka was stopped, Paul Cotter outdeked Schilling for the game-winner. Boyko made 33 saves and four in the shootout for the win while Schilling stopped 27 in the game and 3/4 in the shootout. Despite back to back losses, the Bruins gained two points on the weekend, and leapfrogged the Aberdeen Wings in the Central Division standings.
The Bruins open a home-and-home against the Minnesota Magicians on Friday night at 7:05 at Riverside Arena. Fans who bring five non-perishable Thanksgiving items for the Salvation Army will receive a free bag of chuck a pucks.
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