AUSTIN, MN – Andriy Denyskin stole the show in front of over 1,000 kids on Wednesday morning into the afternoon as the Bruins fell to the Brookings Blizzard, 7-1 in their second annual healthy habits day. Denyskin registered a hat trick in the offensive assault by the Blizzard, who snapped a three-game losing streak and halted the Bruins four-game winning run.
The first goal didn’t come until the 10:00 mark of the opening period, but it was a shorthanded goal by Josh Boyer that made it 1-0. Boyer took a pass from Chase Brand and ripped a shot past Bruins goaltender Mads Sogaard, the league-leading fifth Blizzard shorthanded tally of the season. Just about five minutes later, Denyskin made it 2-0, capitalizing off a Sogaard turnover. Sogaard was able to get back in position to stop Denyskin’s inital shot, but the big Ukranian forward backhanded home the rebound. Denyskin found the net again at 18:37 to make it 3-0, which was the score at the end of one period.
The Blizzard struck again early, less than a minute into the second period on a deceptive backhanded off the wing from Henry Enebak, that signaled the end of the day for Sogaard. At 4:03, Denyskin finished the hat trick, with a sharp angle shot from the left wing. Brookings took a 5-0 lead into the 2nd intermission.
At 4:46 of the third, it became 6-0 when Doug Larson finished off a nice passing play, tapping Connor Koviak’s pass into a gaping net. Tyler Hinterser made it 7-0 at 10:08. The Bruins finally got on the board at 10:51 when Benito Posa ripped off a shot from the high slot – his fourth straight game with a goal. Evan Cholak and DeVon Fields had assists. Benjamin Beck was the winning goaltender, making 30 saves in the 7-1 final.
The Bruins and Blizzard play a pair over the weekend at Larson Ice Center on Friday and Saturday night at 7:05. The games will be streamed live at The Bakery Lounge and on HockeyTV (AWAY Audio). Friday’s game will also be on the radio airwaves of AM 1480 KAUS or streaming online at myaustinminnesota.com.
