BROOKINGS – Austin built a 2-0 lead early into the second period before tacking on a pair of third-period goals to hold off the Blizzard, 5-2, in a Central Division matchup on Friday at Larson Ice Center.
The win boosts the Bruins to a 30-16-0-6 mark with 66 points and third place in the standings while Brookings drops to 9-39-3-1 with 22 points.
Dante Sheriff needed less than a minute of game time to light the lamp as Austin led 1-0 after a period. Hugh Larkin and Ben Almquist set up the goal.
Hugh Larkin found the back of the net for the Bruins less than 3 minutes into the second period as Almquist picked up another helper.
The Blizzard got on the board when Tyler Hinterser found the back of the net with a power-play goal at 8:18 of the second off assists from Brock Draeger and TJ Koufis.
But Connor Mylymok’s goal with 5 minutes to play gave Austin a 3-1 advantage heading into the second intermission as Garrett Dahm and Kyle Herbster picked up assists.
Hinterser made it a one-goal game 3 minutes into the final frame with the assists going to Gabe Wahl and Andrew Kittelson.
Larkin answered less than a minute later with a power-play tally off a Lane Krenzen setup, and then, notched a hat trick with his third goal with 8:18 left in the game as Josef Mysak and Sheriff set up the goal.
Austin held a 50-24 advantage in shots and converted the only power-play chance the Bruins had as Brett Miller finished with 22 saves for the win in goal.
Jack Caruso collected 12 saves on 13 shots in 20 minutes and George McBey stopped 33 of the 37 shots he faced over 40 minutes.
The two teams square off again tonight at Riverside Arena in Austin with the puck dropping at 7:05.
