AUSTIN, MN – Xander Lamppa and Jaden Shields scored second period goals while Mads Sogaard shut the door on the Minotauros, allowing just one goal on 27 shots and the Bruins opened their weekend home series with Minot, winning 2-1.
The Bruins put 12 shots on goal and dominated zone time in the first but the game remained scoreless through the opening stanza. During 4-on-4 hockey in the second, Xander Lamppa broke through at 11:53 for a 1-0 Bruins lead. Dante Zapata handed the puck off to Lane Krenzen, who took it down to the goal line and found Lamppa at the top of the crease for his eighth goal of the season and fourth in seven games. Under seven minutes later, the Bruins doubled their lead when Josef Mysak showed great vision and found Jaden Shields with a pass from the left point to the right faceoff circle. Shields lifted a shot over a sprawling Samu Lonkila. The Bruins skated into the second intermission with a 2-0 lead.
It appeared that the Bruins might win the game by a 2-0 score, but Devon Fields was assessed a five minute major penalty at 17:22 of the third, leading to a power play goal moments later by Ondrej Pavel. With 11 seconds remaining, Evan Cholak drew a tripping penalty, putting the faceoff in the Minot zone and seemingly ending the game, but the ‘Tauros managed to get a Keenan Lund breakaway behind the Bruins defense as the seconds ticked away. Sogaard stopped Lund’s backhander and clinched the 2-1 win.
Sogaard’s win was his 10th. Lonkila stopped 31 of 33 in his losing effort. With Aberdeen’s loss to Bismarck, the Bruins are once again within a win of first place in the Central. Austin and Minot complete their weekend series on Saturday night at Riverside Arena. Game time is 7:05 PM. It’s Mascot Night – the first 100 fans through the door will receive an exclusive Bruiser jersey shirt, courtesy of Home Federal and Papa Murphy’s.
