RICHFIELD, MN – Tanner Tweten scored a power play goal to break a 1-1 tie with 1:37 to go and help the Minnesota Magicians top the Austin Bruins on Friday night at Richfield Ice Arena and split the season series.
In a game that was largely defensive minded on both sides, neither team scored in the opening period. The Bruins were outshot 9-7 but killed three penalties including a 45-second two man advantage. It wasn’t until 17:26 into the second period that Will Hammer opened the scoring with a deflection goal on the power play, redirecting a shot from Matthew Denman. The Bruins had an 11-6 second period shot edge, but trailed 1-0.
About midway through the third, Michael Piehler tied the game when his shot from the slot off a Magicians turnover found a hole through goaltender Ivan Prosvetov, thanks to a nifty screen by Liam Thrawl. The game remained 1-1 until Tweten’s late goal. Mitch Slattery fed the puck across the ice to an open Tweten on the right wing, and Tweten beat Bruins goalie Alex Schilling low to his blocker side for the game-winner.
The Bruins outshot the Magicians, 34-19 in the game as Prosvetov stopped 33. Schilling made 17 stops in the loss. The Bruins host the Coulee Region Chill on Saturday night at Riverside Arena – a 7:05 faceoff.
