AUSTIN, Minn. – Despite scoring the game’s first goal, the Bruins weren’t able to fend off the Wilderness falling 3-1 on Saturday night at Riverside Arena.
For the second time in three nights, the Bruins and Wilderness were locked in a defensive battle from the get-go. The first period went by with both teams coming up empty on the score sheet. In the second, the Bruins struck first. Barrett Brooks found the back of the net for the second time this season, giving Austin the edge, 1-0. It didn’t take long for the Wilderness to battle back, less than three minutes, when Lewis Crosby pounded a rebound past Tyler Shea to even things at one goal apiece.
Later in the third, the Wilderness took the lead and never looked back. Nick Portz scored his fifth goal of the season midway through the third period which held up to be the game-winner. Portz added an empty-netter to ice the game and earn the Wilderness the victory.
With the loss, the Bruins slid back to 5-3-0-2 on the season while the Wilderness improved to 7-4-0-0. Austin hits the road this coming weekend for a pair of games against the Bismarck Bobcats in North Dakota. Fans can catch the game at Gravity Storm Brewery, the official Bruins Road Game Destination, and on Wednesday, October 23, the black-and-gold return home for a rematch with the Wilderness. Originally scheduled as an 11 o’clock A.M. start time, the game has been shifted back to 7:05 P.M. Tickets for all Bruins games can be had at any of the Bruins vendors including Games People Play, Hy-Vee, Holiday Inn, and Jim’s Marketplace.
