Newest Bruins Herbster and Christy contribute immediately, Larkin nets a pair, and the Bruins win their second game at Richfield Ice Arena this season.
RICHFIELD, Minn. – Six goal onslaught helps the Bruins end their losing streak and top the Minnesota Magicians, 6-5.
Out of the gate on Friday the Bruins looked determined to end their skid. Battling for pucks, keeping it deep, and controlling the offense was paramount in their success to a fast start. Thanks to their effort, they were able to get the game’s first goal of the game thanks to Andy Willis. Recently awarded to the NAHL’s Top Prospects Tournament, Wills stuffed home a goal just outside the crease which hopped over the pad of Magicians goalie Jack Robbel and the Bruins took the 1-0 lead. Minnesota wasn’t on their heels long as they managed to tie the game at one goal only four minutes later off a laser shot from Moritz Wirth which found it’s way up and over the Bruins’ goalie Brett Miller’s left shoulder.
Austin continued to battle strong getting a beautiful breakaway goal from leading scorer Dante Sheriff and a power-play tally from Hugh Larkin. It was the first of two goals on the night for Larkin as well as the first of three goals the Bruins netted on the man advantage.
With the 3-1 lead going into the second intermission, the Bruins offense fell asleep during the second period with the Magicians being the only team to find the back of the net, only doing so once, forcing a 3-2 score heading into the second intermission.
In the third period, the stat sheet exploded. Lane Krenzen netted his ninth goal of the season with a rocket shot from the left point only 42 seconds into the period. With the 4-2 lead, the Bruins slipped a little bit defensively allowing the Magicians to pull within one goal, for the second time on the night, off the stick of Andrew Kruse.
Now in the lead 4-3, the Bruins resumed their two-goal when Larkin scored his second power-play goal of the night. Up 5-3, the Minnesota Magicians came roaring back, scoring the next two unanswered to tie the game. Late in the third period, Kyle Herbster, one of a pair of guys who were traded to Austin earlier this week, made his presence known. After a center-ice feed from Jared Christy, the other half of the new acquisitions, Herbster was able to maneuver around the defense, pulling Robbel out from his crease, and working in around him for a wide-open goal. The assist from Christy would be the California-native’s fourth on the night and the goal from Herbster stood to be the game winner.
The Bruins and Magicians will resume their home-and-home series on Saturday when the Bruins host for the annual Paint the Rink Pink night. Saturday’s game, the team’s first home game since January 12, will be filled with events, auctions, games, and other entertainment for fans in an effort to raise money for cancer research at the Hormel Institute. Tickets for Saturday’s Paint the Rink Pink game are on sale now at all the Bruins vendors including Games People Play, Hy-Vee, Holiday Inn, and Jim’s Marketplace. Doors open an extra 30 minutes at 5:30, so fans can enjoy a longer happy hour at Riverside Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05.