ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The Austin Bruins (31-9-2-2, 66 pts) mounted a two-goal comeback Saturday night to force overtime, but it wasn’t enough as the St. Cloud Norsemen (14-25-4-0, 32 pts) took the game 3-2 in a shootout.
The game was back and forth early on, with neither team finding an advantage until St. Cloud’s Billy Biedermann took the puck away in the Bruins’ zone and fired it past Cody Butikis to take a 1-0 lead at 14:46 in the first.
Minutes later, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Austin’s Mikey Coleman gave Sam Crane the opportunity on the power play to score for a Norsemen 2-0 lead with under two minutes left in the first. The Norsemen were held scoreless for the remainder of regulation.
The Black and Gold saw their only power play opportunity of the game in the second period and capitalized on it for the first goal of the game. Gavin Hruza walked the puck from the goal line to the left circle before throwing it towards EJ Paddington’s stick for the deflection at 14:04. Paddington’s goal was the 47th of the Thunder Bay, Ontario native’s career, tying him for seventh all-time with Carson Riddle.
Austin wouldn’t strike again until the third, when Connor Beckwith would find Sam Kiine on the backside unmarked, leading to Kline bursting in the zone and ripping the puck far side to beat Wesley Jerrerson-Swint II for the game-tying goal.
The game would require an additional five minute overtime frame with neither team netting a game winner on a combined four shots.
In a four-round shootout, no Bruin was able to score and it was Biedermann again to secure two points for St. Cloud.
The Bruins are back in action against the Norsemen Saturday Night in Austin, with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 pm at Riverside Arena. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting tickets.austinbruins.com.
