BISMARCK, N.D. – For the third game in a row the Austin Bruins took a lead into the third period, but it was Bismarck who battled back to take the game 3-2.
Austin got on the board first when Walter Zacher notched his tenth goal of the season. The Buffalo, New York, native intercepted a pass in the high-slot and sped a wrist-shot past Bismarck goalie Tommy Aitken for the 1-0 Bruins lead. Assisting on the goal was Carson Riddle who returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games. The helper was Riddle’s sixteenth of the season and his team-leading twenty-third point. Austin couldn’t manage to hold onto that lead very long, however, as the Bobcats notched the game-tying goal just under three minutes later. With the game tied at one goal apiece, the Bruins retook their lead later in the opening period. After some fine passing along the blue-line between Peter Jacobs and Ben Dexhiemer, Connor Mylymok redirected a Dexheimer shot over the shoulder of Aitken to put the Bruins out in front, 2-1.
Neither team managed to solve the opposing goaltender in the second period and Austin rode into the third with the lead. Starting the period on the power-play, the Bruins were unsuccessful on their man advantage. Shortly after the penalty expired, Bismarck thought they had the game-tying goal but it was waved off by the officials. The disallowed goal drew the ire of Bismarck Layne Sedevie which boiled over later in the period. With the Bruins on the power-play following a five-minute misconduct to Chase Beacom for a hit on Dexheimer, Sedevie was handed a two-minute bench minor for abuse of officials. This ultimately escalated into a 20-minute misconduct and subsequent ejection for Sedevie. The twelve-year Bobcats coach didn’t go quietly as the bench boss tossed sticks onto the playing surface. It was the spark the Bobcats were looking for as the home team not only killed off the extended power-play, including two minutes of 5-on-3, they managed to tie the game on a power-play of their own. Thomas Bergsland netted his second goal of the night to bring the score to 2-2 midway through the third period. The dagger for the Bruins came later in the period when Luke Gramer sailed a shot from the left point over the shoulder of Bruins goalie Tyler Shea for the 3-2 Bismarck lead.
That score held up despite the Bruins getting one more power-play opportunity and the Bobcats completed the comeback to knock off the Bruins. The two teams meet again on Saturday night in Bismarck before renewing their rivalry at Riverside Arena next weekend on April 9 and 10.
