FOREST LAKE, MINN. – The Austin Bruins (27-8-2-1, 57 pts) continued their dominant run with their fifth straight 7-2 victory Friday night over the Minnesota Mallards (7-24-2-1, 17 pts). The win was the fourth time in five games that the first place Bruins netted six or more goals in a contest.
In his first game back in the lineup after a few games gone, Hudson Routh found the back of the net at 6:11 in the first off a pass from Jake Spraetz to put the Bruins on the board.
The Black and Gold would go on the penalty kill after a Sam Kline boarding minor, but that didn’t slow them down. Matsvei Marshanok broke away and snuck the puck through the five hole of Mallards netminder Connor Mackenzie for the team’s league-leading 14th of the season and Marshchanok’s team leading fourth.
Mikey Coleman caught the Mallards defense sleeping, swiping the puck away behind the net before feeding it to EJ Paddington net front at 14:54 in the first for a 3-0 Bruins lead. Coleman’s assist extended the veteran forward’s point streak to six straight games.
A late double minor for high sticking on Minnesota’s Justin Watson would give Austin its first chance to send out the power play. Within eleven seconds of one another, Gavin Hruza and Zander Lipsett each found the back of the net to close the period with a 5-0 Bruins lead.
After a scoreless second, the Mallards were hunting for a goal and Justin Watson gave it to them. Cody Butikis dove to his right to stop a puck before scrambling back to the crease to fight off a flock of Mallards netfront. After poking and prodding, Watson finally pushed it over the line at 4:03 for his first career NAHL goal. Cohen Hoening would follow suit minutes later on a five-on-three power play for the second and final Mallards goal of the game.
The Bruins own power play sparked back up in the third, led by Paddington who scored with the extra man on a tip in from Hruza at 7:33 and again on a heater form the circle from Siamion Marshchanok for his third goal of the game and first career NAHL hat trick. Paddington would finish the game leading the team with three goals, one assist and four points.
Siamion Marshchanok just kept his point streak with the assist on Paddington’s final goal, earning his 51st point in 23 straight games. The helper also breaks a tie between Marshchanok and former Bruin Alex Laurenza for the third most assists in a single season. Marshchanok’s 47 assists this season place him just four away from tying Luc Malkhassian’s single season record of 51 set during the 2024-25 season.
Austin’s power play finished the night going three for six while the penalty kill allowed just one goal on seven chances, scoring a short handed goal in the process. The first place Bruins are back in action Saturday night at 7pm from the Forest Lake Sports Center against Minnesota. Broadcast coverage will be available with Bruins broadcaster David Koier on NAHLTV.com.
