ABERDEEN, SD – Matt Pulver's late 2nd period power play goal broke a 2-2 tie and served as the game winner as the Aberdeen Wings topped the Austin Bruins, 4-2 on Friday night at Odde Ice Center. It was the third straight win for the Wings in the season series after dropping the first six.
Aberdeen scored the lone goal of the first period when Jake Leitner took a cross ice pass from Gavin Payne and snapped a shot past Kris Carlson at 4:11. Austin had a 15-13 shot edge at the end of one.
The Wings made it 2-0 with a power play goal at 2:44 of the 2nd. Carter Roo made a nifty deflection up over Carlson's shoulder off a pass from Ryan Cook. The Bruins responded less than two minutes later when Jade Miller got two chances in the slot after good work from linemates Gilbert Gabor and Justin Misiak. Miller netted his team leading 26th of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. At 10:37 off a faceoff win, Dalton Gally put a left point shot through traffic and past Peter Thome to tie the game it two. It was Gally's 3rd goal of the season – from Luke Forfar. The Bruins took consecutive penalties in the late stages of the period and Pulver converted on the 5 on 3 to give the Wings at 3-2 lead after two.
Austin could only must six third period shots and Leitner scored an empty net goal with 1:13 remaining to seal the game. Carlson made 42 saves in the losing effort while Thome stopped 35. The Wings jumped back into the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, just three points behind the Bruins for third. The same two teams will play at 7:15 on Saturday night to finish the weekend.
