BISMARCK, ND – Goalie Nick Lehr pitched a shutout and the Austin Bruins held off the Bismarck Bobcats for a 3-0 win at the VFW Sports Center, halting the frontrunning Cats’ winning streak at seven games on Saturday.
Lehr made 38 saves—including 17 in the third period—to secure his second win of the season and fight off a furious charge by the Bobcats.
“I can’t remember the last time we faced a hotter goalie than Lehr,” credited Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, a former NCAA Division I goalie at Bemidji State. “As a goalie, sometimes that little black disc turns into a big beach ball and that’s the kind of zone he was in here tonight.”
Austin opened the scoring with 1:56 left in the first period on a delayed penalty call when Colton Kramer notched his second of the weekend, stuffing a wrap-around past a sprawling Tommy Burke for a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
Both sides deadlocked through the second, with Burke and Lehr combining for 19 saves to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Austin after two.
The Bruins broke through with two late insurance markers as Nolan Kirley and Grant Williams scored in the last 2:07 in regulation to lift the Bruins to the 3-0 final.
Tempers flared at the end of the game as a hit at the horn by Bobcats forward Nick Miglio on Bruins blueliner Jake Flynn drew the ire of the Bruins bench—particularly Kirley, who attempted to chase Miglio down as the Bobcats were leaving the ice. The referees kept the players separated and both teams left the surface without incident.
Burke held his team in the game, making 21 saves, but didn’t get any help from his offense and dropped to 8-2-0 on the season.
“Tommy played well again,” lauded Sedevie, “and he’s putting up the numbers and turning in performances that are giving the coaching staff confidence to continue starting him on a nightly basis.”
The Bobcats continue divisional play Friday when they make the short trip down to South Dakota to take on the archrival Aberdeen Wings for a 7:15 PM showdown at the Odde Ice Center.
Friday’s road tilt will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide on the official internet television partner of the NAHL, FASTHockey, at http://nahl.fasthockey.com. Pregame coverage gets under way at 6:45.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2011-12 season—and going fast! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 or email gobobcathockey@aol.com for more information on reserving a pro-rated package for this season!