AUSTIN, MN – The Austin Bruins have won six straight games against the Minot Minotauros and have now extended their lead in the Central Division to 10 points.
In the final meeting before the new year, the Bruins looked to continue their early season success against Minot and go for the weekend sweep after winning Friday Night by the final of 5-3. Unlike last night, the Bruins would score their first goal of the night until the 15:15 mark of the first period, as Josh Giuliani would pick up his 9th goal of the year to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead to the locker room. Gavin Morrissey would pick up the lone assist on the goal.
Giuliani’s scoring trend would continue as he would get his second of the night just under five minutes into the 2nd period as he would tip the shot from Ocean Wallace past Dane Couture to give the Bruins a then 2-0 lead. Walter Zacher’s success against Minot would also continue as he would tally his 4th goal of the weekend off a feed from Matys Brassard. Late in the period, the Bruins would have an odd-man rush as Sam Christiano would find Morrissey all alone in the slot to get the 3rd goal of the period for Austin and give them a 4-0 lead to the locker room after forty minutes of action inside Riverside Arena.
Ethan Robertson would be pitching a shutout until Arizona State commit Chase LaPinta found a loose puck in front of Robertson and would snap a shot over his glove hand to give Minot their lone goal of the night. Going from broke and down by three late in the game, Minot would pull their Couture for an extra attacker. Josh Giuliani would complete the hat trick on a shot from behind the goal line of Ethan Robertson to find the back of Minot’s empty net to secure his first career hat trick in the North American Hockey League and the 5-1 win for the Bruins. Ethan Roberson would pick up his 10th win on the season and would stop 22 of the 23 shots he would face on the night.
Up next, the Bruins head to Aberdeen to take on the Wings next Friday and Saturday night at the Odde Ice Center. Puck drop for both games is scheduled for 7:15 PM CST.
