ABERDEEN, SD – Trailing 4-0 with 6:10 remaining in the first period, the Bruins stormed back, scoring 7 of the next 8 goals to claim an unlikely 7-5 win over the Aberdeen Wings at Odde Ice Center on Satuday night.
Aberdeen got goals from Matt Pulver, Jackson Graalum (PPG), and Carter Roo (PPG) in the first 11:17 to take a 3-0 lead. The Bruins called timeout and replaced Kris Carlson with Robbie Goor in net after the 3rd goal, but Kevin Fitzgerald extended the Aberdeen lead to 4-0 at 13:50.
The Bruins got two back before the end of the period on deflections from Justin Misiak and Zach Kennedy. Misiak deflected a Griff Slightam shot at 14:48 and then Kennedy got a piece of a John Pesek offering at 17:06, making the deficit just two after 20 minutes.
In the 2nd, Jade Miller got his team-leading 27th goal just 17 seconds in to make it a 4-3 game, taking a pass from Misiak below the goal line. The Wings answered when Pulver banked a puck off Goor and in from below the other goal line at 3:35. A Gilbert Gabor powerplay goal cut the deficit back to one at 9:59 and ended the night for Wings starter Gavin Paczosa. At 12:41, Miha Zajc deflected a Pesek shot to tie the game at 5, and snapped an 18 game goal-less drought. The Bruins took their first lead at 19:45 of the second, when Jacob Paganelli ripped a shot over Peter Thome's shoulder.
The Bruins scored the only goal of the 3rd at 4:01 when Austin Rueschhoff netted a powerplay tally off a feed from Paganelli. It was the first win for the Bruins in four games and it dropped their playoff magic number to four points – a combination of points gained and points "lost" by either Aberdeen or the Magicians, who each sit with 61 points in a tie for fourth.
The Bruins continue their road trip on Friday and Saturday in Minot at 7:35.
