AUSTIN, Minn. – A late third-period goal by Alex Trombley and a never-say-die Bruins attitude helped the black-and-gold get their second consecutive win over the Chippewa Steel on Friday night, 4-3.
It’s been a while since the Bruins scored the game’s first goal and on Friday night that trend continued. Much like when these teams met last Friday, the Steel got on the board first and early in the opening period. Just over four minutes into the game, Chippewa’s Ethan Benz walked around Bruins defensemen and slipped a shot past Tyler Shea for his fourth goal of the season. Unlike last Friday, the Bruins didn’t wait too long to tie the game, in fact, it was just over ten minutes later when Walter Zacher scored his fifth goal of the season. The Buffalo, New York, native blasting a wrist-shot so hard that despite Chippewa netminder Gustave Bylin getting a huge chunk, the puck still powered through the goalie’s mitt and across the line.
In the second period with the game tied 1-1, things started to get physical and chippy. Chippewa managed to jump out to a 3-1 lead thanks to tallies from Brockton Baker and Grisha Gotovets, the former on the power-play, and Austin didn’t take it lying down. Seconds after the goal, Bruins forward Barrett Brooks was called for a roughing minor after getting into a skirmish at center ice. Thirteen seconds later, Bruins Captain Connor Mylymok was assessed a 10-minute game misconduct penalty as well as being ejected for attempting to rile up the Chippewa bench. While the penalties weren’t ideal, Austin gained significant momentum after the penalty kills. Following his penalty, Barrett Brooks netted his sixth goal of the season and pulled the Bruins to within one goal, 3-2, heading into the intermission.
Out of the gate in the third, Austin was rejuvenated and there was a clear tilt in the ice. All-in-all, the Bruins outshot the Steel in the third period 12-4. One of those shots for Austin was the second power-play goal of the season for Reggie Millette who just narrowly missed a goal at the end of the first period which did go in, but after time expired. This time, the American International University commit worked his way in front of the net and ripped on home to tie the game at 3-3. Then in the final seven minutes of the game, Alex Trombley got the Bruins their first lead of the game, a lead they wouldn’t let go of. Trombley took advantage of a Steel turnover right in the slot, and the Howell, MI, native made Chippewa pay by rifling a wrister past Bylin for the 4-3 Bruins lead.
Austin held onto the lead throughout the remaining moments and earned their second win in their last three games, both over the Steel. Tyler Shea turned aside 23 of 26 Chippewa shots and earned his fifth win of the season, while Gus Bylin stopped 26 of 29 Bruins shots sent his way in the loss. Both teams were successful on one of their five power-plays, though Austin racked up a season-high 44 minutes in penalties.
Up next for the Bruins, they head to Cloquet on Saturday for their fourth matchup of the season against the Minnesota Wilderness. Austin has dropped their last two games against the Wilderness, both on the road, and are looking for their first win at Northwoods Credit Union Arena this season. After Saturday’s game, the Bruins head back on the road Wednesday, February 3, 2021, for a rematch against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in Marshall, MN, before welcoming Fairbanks to Riverside Arena for the first time since 2016 on February 5 and 6. Tickets for all Bruins home games are available now online by visiting www.austinbruins.com
