AUSTIN — The Austin Bruins are proving to be an entirely different team at home than they are on the road.
And that may not be a good thing for the Bruins, who start a five-game road trip tonight.
It was a very good thing on Friday, though, as they posted their fourth consecutive shutout on home ice, a 3-0 win against Brookings at Riverside Arena, to remain the NAHL's lone team that is unbeaten at home (12-0-0).
The Bruins now hit the road for five consecutive games, beginning tonight at last-place Brookings (4-13-5). Austin is just 5-5-0 on the road this season and has lost four consecutive games away from home.
The NAHL Central Division-leading Bruins (17-5-0 overall) scored once in each period on Friday to earn their second consecutive shutout against the Blizzard, who also fell to the Bruins last Saturday at Riverside.
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Bruins goalie Nick Lehr was outstanding once again, stopping 41 shots to secure the shutout and improve to 14-2-0.
Trey Dodd scored the game-winning goal 7:12 into the first period. Sam Kauppila scored in the second period and defenseman Josh Bretner added a short-handed goal in the third period.
Bruins 3, Blizzard 0
Brookings#0#0#0#—#0
Austin#1#1#1#—#3
First period— 1. A, Trey Dodd (Drew Anderson, Josh Bretner) 7:12. Second period— 2. A, Sam Kauppila (Cory Dunn) 7:14. Third period— 3. A, Bretner (Brennan Sanford) 7:00 (sh).
Shots on goal— B 13-14-14—41; A 12-11-11—34. Goalies— B, Austin Priebe (L, 3-5-1; 31 saves); A, Nick Lehr (W, 14-2-0; 41 saves). Power-play opportunities— B 0-for-9; A 0-for-3. Penalties— B, 5-18 minutes; A, 10-20 minutes.
Time— 2:20. Att. — 1,087.
