After losing the first twelve head-to-head battles with the Bruins, the Minnesota Magicians have cut into their deficit by winning the first three of 2015-16, as they swept a home-and-home this past weekend and stretched the Austin losing streak to four games. The B’s will try to avoid a would-be season high five game skid by welcoming in the Brookings Blizzard on Friday and then the Coulee Region Chill for Paint the Rink Pink on Saturday night. As the season officially enters the final third of the schedule, here is your weekend preview:
WHAT TO WATCH FOR –
One week, two Blizzards: After Austin got hit by a foot of snow Tuesday, a second Blizzard comes to town in the form of the Brookings hockey team on Friday. The Bruins have had great success against the Blizzard at Riverside, winning their two home games by a combined 13-3 score. They’re 4-1-0 overall against Brookings, but dropped the last head-to-head, 6-1 on January 23rd at Larson Ice Center in South Dakota.
PAINT THE RINK PINK: Saturday night is the 6th annual Paint the Rink Pink game at Riverside as the Bruins host the Coulee Region Chill. Events throughout the night include a ceremonial puck drop, a cancer tribute video, and of course, a postgame live auction of the pink jerseys that the Bruins will wear during the game. Bruiser’s pink jersey will be raffled off.
*Get a sneek peak at the pink jerseys as the Bruins will also wear them during Friday night's game against Brookings!*
Home Ice Disadvantage: With Coulee’s 4-1 win at Riverside on January 22nd, the unlikely trend of the visitors having success continued, with the home team still winless in six games. Not only has the away club won every game, but nearly all of them have been decisive final scores, with only two games being decided by less than three goals (and both were two goal margins).
Penalty Kill Struggles: After going through an incredible stretch of 58 penalty kills in 60 tries, the Bruins have struggled mightily over the last two weekends, allowing 6 powerplay goals during their four game losing streak. Three of the Magicians’ four goals on Saturday were of the powerplay variety, as the Bruins gave them six opportunities with the man advantage.
Bruins goal record: Jade Miller’s goal on Saturday in Richfield was his team-leading 20th of the season, now just ten goals shy of the Bruins single season record set by C.J. Smith in 2012-13. Ironically, Smith just registered a hat trick for UMass-Lowell on Saturday night. Miller has two hat tricks and five multi-goal games this season.
THE MATCHUPS –
Central Division Standings:
|
TEAM |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
PTS |
|
Bismarck |
38 |
24 |
13 |
1 |
49 |
|
Minot |
41 |
22 |
16 |
3 |
47 |
|
Austin |
40 |
21 |
18 |
1 |
43 |
|
Brookings |
40 |
16 |
18 |
6 |
38 |
|
MN Magicians |
39 |
16 |
19 |
4 |
36 |
|
Aberdeen |
39 |
13 |
18 |
8 |
34 |
Midwest Division Standings:
|
TEAM |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
PTS |
|
Fairbanks |
41 |
32 |
6 |
3 |
67 |
|
MN Wilderness |
41 |
26 |
12 |
3 |
55 |
|
Janesville |
37 |
21 |
12 |
4 |
46 |
|
Springfield |
40 |
21 |
15 |
4 |
46 |
|
Coulee Region |
37 |
18 |
19 |
0 |
36 |
|
Kenai River |
41 |
3 |
37 |
1 |
7 |
2015-16 Austin vs. Brookings head to head (Bruins lead 4-1-0)
click date for game story
10/02/15 Austin 4 at Brookings 1
10/03/15 Brookings 3 at Austin 6
01/15/16 Brookings 0 at Austin 7
01/16/16 Austin 3/OT at Brookings 2
01/23/16 Austin 1 at Brookings 6
02/05/16 @ Austin – 7:05 PM
03/04/16 @ Brookings – 7:30 PM
03/18/16 @ Austin – 7:05 PM
2015-16 Austin vs. Coulee Region head to head (Tied 3-3)
click date for game story
11/06/15 Coulee 6 at Austin 2
11/07/15 Austin 3 at Coulee Region 1
11/25/15 Austin 4 at Coulee Region 1
12/19/15 Austin 4 at Coulee Region 2
12/31/15 Coulee Region 5 at Austin 2
01/22/16 Coulee Region 4 at Austin 1
02/06/16 @ Austin – 7:05 PM
02/13/16 @ Coulee Region – 7:00 PM
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAMES –
The puck drops from Riverside Arena on Friday and Saturday night at 7:05 PM CT. Tickets can be pre-purchased at HyVee, Jim’s Marketplace, Games People Play, and the Holiday Inn for $4 off the door price – $11 for adults and $8 for students and seniors (65+). Both games will be broadcast with live streaming video and audio on FASTHockey.com beginning at 6:55, with intermission updates on Facebook and Twitter (@theaustinbruins).
For Saturday night’s Paint the Rink Pink, gates will open at 5:00 PM at Riverside Arena. The Bruins anticipate a sell out and highly recommend fans purchase tickets at the vendors ahead of time. The postgame jersey live auction will take place immediately following the game. In addition to FASTHockey, Saturday's game will be available via radio broadcast on AM 1480 KAUS and myaustinminnesota.com, beginning at 6:55.
