AUSTIN — It took more than 63 minutes, but the Austin Bruins finally scored a goal and now they find themselves on a winning streak, a rarity in an up-and-down second half of the North American Hockey League season.
Jacob Paganelli scored 3:08 into overtime — the only goal of the game — to give the Bruins a 1-0 victory against Central Division-leading Bismarck on Friday at Riverside Arena.
The victory was as big emotionally for the Bruins as it is in the standings.
Austin is likely out of the hunt for home-ice advantage in a first-round playoff series, but the Bruins are trying to hang onto a playoff spot, and specifically the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. The top four teams in the six-team division make the postseason. Austin (25-22-4) is six points up on fourth-place Aberdeen and eight points up on the fifth-place Minnesota Magicians with nine regular-season games to go.
Both goalies stood tall in Friday's game, as Kris Carlson earned a 28-save shutout for Austin, while Bismarck's Hunter Shepard stopped the first 27 shots he faced, until Paganelli beat him 3:08 into OT. Paul O'Connor and Dalton Gally had assists on the goal.
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Austin plays host to Bismarck again tonight at 7:05 p.m.
