Bruins Sweep Grrrowl In Nail-biting 8-7 Shootout Victory Sunday Afternoon

Troy, OH - It only seems fitting that the Bruins would sweep the Findlay Grrrowl with an 8-7 sudden death shootout win on Sunday afternoon, the identical score that the Grrrowl employed to defeat the Bruins in their last meeting prior to Saturday night's 5-2 Bruins win in front of a record crowd of 1,217 inside the historic Hobart Arena as part of Deaf Awareness Night and Hits 105.5 Night.

After the record-size crowd pleaser on Saturday night, the Bruins struggled early to begin the Sunday afternoon matinee rematch, with Findlay finding their stride to cash in on a quick goal to start the game less than five minutes in. For Shane Hicke's Bruins club, it would take a K's Hamburger Shop powerplay to shake off the rust, as Danville, California native Derek McPherson connected on a pass from Aaron Huber to even the score 1-1 at the 5:58 mark. Yet, the Grrrowl found success on their powerplay chances as well, scoring their second go-ahead goal of the game on the man advantage with 3:33 to go in the period, before a surging Corey Evelyn would bang in a setup feed from Lee McClure to once again force the tie just :33 later at the three minute mark. In a first period marred with defending zone giveaways, the Bruins would turnover the puck into the slot for the third Grrrowl goal with just 10.4 showing on the clock, sending Troy into the first intermission trailing 3-2. Findlay would lead in shots 17-10 after twenty minutes.

History would repeat itself early in the second, with the Grrrowl bouncing in a rebound past starting netminder Alexander Kuzmenko to take a two goal lead, but the Bruins regrouped and refocused, ultimately leading to Justin Dornhecker's end to end rush towards the Grrrowl net, stuffing the puck to light the lamp and cut the lead back to one at the 14:17 mark. In what seemed to be hockey's equivalent to a "swap meet", it was then the Grrrowl's turn to score at the 13:33 mark to reclaim the double point lead. Despite chances in the attacking zone, the Bruins would be unable to chip away at the Findlay lead until nearing the midway point in the game, when Flint, Michigan native and Hobart Welding institute student John Rubel capitalized on a centering pass from Russia natives Egor Pogodin-Alexeev and Gleb Luchnikov at 10:53. While Kuzmenko would blank the Grrrowl for the remainder of the period, the Bruins would add the tying goal just less than a minute later at the 10:54 mark with fellow European Leonid Kovalev dekeing the Findlay netminder and plowing the puck to the back of the net, assisted by Rubel and Erik Levin. After forty minutes, both clubs headed into the second intermission deadlocked at 5, with Findlay out shooting the Bruins 29-21.

Findlay would continue to control the flow of the game into the first half of the third period, with the Grrrowl breaking the tie at the 13:40 mark before extending the lead back to two with only 4:16 to go in regulation. A controversial hit away from the play knocked Rubel from his feet, colliding violently with the boards after he was blatantly hit from behind, eventually being taken by the medical staff into the dressing room for evaluation, despite no penalty called on the play. Trailing an opponent with time closing in for one of the first times this season at home, Bruins bench boss Shane Hicke called his one and only timeout of the game to regroup his players and recharge for their comeback attempt. Stepping onto the ice, already with a round of fisticuffs under his belt earlier in the game, Bruins forward Sean Hagerty lead the charge for the Bruins with help out of the zone by Aaron Huber and newcomer Jordan Carpender to crash the net and bang home a rebound off the end boards, shaving the lead to one with 3:23 to go in regulation. Fans would enjoy end to end action as both teams secured but could not capitalize on several chances, but would grow increasingly anxious as time continued to tick away on the scoreboard. Trailing by one, and facing a rapidly dwindling window of opportunity, the Bruins last charge up the ice would be set up by Luchnikov out of the neutral zone to a waiting Erik Levin, who would propel a blistering shot past the Findlay goaltender to tie the game with 14.1 to go in regulation. After a full sixty minutes of regulation, both teams would remain tied 7-7, with the Grrrowl out shooting the Bruins 36-32.

As per NJHL rules, the game proceeded immediately to a five round shootout, and after both teams scored twice each after the fifth round to keep the game alive. Sudden death would only last two rounds, as injured Bruins forward John Rubel made his triumphant return to the ice, sneaking the puck past the legs of the Grrrowl netminder for the game winner.

With the win, the second place Bruins improve their record to 29-12-1 and sweep the fifth place Grrrowl, who still fight to clinch the league's final playoff berth. Troy returns home for one final weekend series this season on Saturday, March 13 at 8pm and Sunday, March 14 at 1:30 in a rematch with the Findlay Grrrowl. For more information, call 985-PUCK or visit www.TroyBruins.com.