It took the Magicians 30 seconds in the first period to draw their first minor penalty.  Then they had to hang on and dodge bullets to keep the Austin from scoring.

It became apparent in that first power play that Austin develops most of their scoring off a rush.  It starts with usually with a big wing muscling the puck through a smaller defense man coming down the boards.  In the opening minutes of the first period, they did just that.  The smaller 6 foot Magician defense men were beaten by a big Austin wing a half dozen times in the first ten minutes of play.

The Austin forward would simply get his body between the defense and the net while keeping control of the puck.  The big guys were then geared to take the low shot on the pads.  The two Magician defenders would be caught high and the weak side Austin forward would be camped on the opposite side crease waiting for the rebound.

The Bruins must go through a lot of tires in their practices.

Fortunately for the Magicians, the Austin forwards on the weak side last night could not put the puck in the open net.
Still Austin got an early goal.  After the Magicians killed the penalty, the Bruins retained possession in the Magicians’ zone and scored 30 seconds after the penalty ended.

Austin’s Guillaume Leclerc took the puck off the right boards, cut towards the top of the faceoff circle drawing the Magicians defense to him and snapped a pass to a Bruins’ 6’6” winger breaking down the slot.  Jay Dickman one timed Leclerc’s pass into the net with a blistering shot to put Austin up 1-0.   Leclerc and Lucas Kohls got the assists.

With less than two minutes left in the first period, the Magicians Eetu Karvinen scored to tie the game.  The play started with Tony Uglem sniping the puck from the Bruins defense inside the left blue line.  Picking up the pass, Uglem beat the defense and cut into the left face off.  His play drew Bruins’ goalie Nick Lehr to the left post.  Uglem fired a pass to Karvinen on the weak side.  Karvinen’s first shot was blocked by Lehr, the puck rebounded to Karvinen who put the puck over the sliding Lehr into the net.  Score was tied 1-1.

Both teams were getting pinned in their zone for long periods of time in the first period.  It showed with 30 shots on net (17 for Austin).  Four penalties were called, three on the Magicians.  But it was clear, that once either team got control of the puck in their offensive zone, they could maintain possession.

Austin started to dominate play in the first half of the second period.  They had adjusted to the Magician’s breakout and were turning the forwards back before the Magicians to gain the red line.  Though Austin was holding the play on the Magicians half of the ice, they had few good shots on net (of the 21 shots taken in the period).  Neis was tested more than once forced to come up with big saves.

At the 12 minute mark of the second period, Tony Uglem scored again.  The Magicians were pressuring the Bruins in the Austin zone, when they drew a tripping penalty (a Bruin tried to trip a Magician on a play behind the action and forgot he was in front of the ref).  The Magicians set up in a power play on the ensuing face off, moving the puck to the center blue line area where a Magician put a hard shot on net that bounced to Tony Uglem in the right side crease area.  Uglem banged the puck in for a 2-1 Magician’s lead.  Kalle Moise got the assist.

Austin’s play slowed after that goal.  The Magicians pressured Austin in the Bruins’ zone for the next two minutes until they drew a high stick penalty at the 7 minute mark.  They killed the penalty, but before the Magicians could transition to normal play, Austin “cherry picked” them.

An Austin defender inside his own zone fired a pass dead center ice to the Bruins’ Dickman who had a foot lead on the nearest defender as he took the pass at the Magician’s blue line and soloed in on Nies.  The big guy moved Nies to his right coming down the right side and set him up for a quick pass to himself on the left side.  Dickman put the puck in the net.  The pass covered about ten feet.  A 6’6” player can do that.  It was a great play.

Dickman’s goal tied the score 2-2.  Charley Manley got the assist.  The Magicians killed another penalty with less than a minute left in the period and drew another penalty with 30 seconds on the clock.  Second period ended 2-2 tie.

Third period opened Austin on the power play.  They set up and pounded the Magicians net.  The Magicians killed the penalty but before they could organize and break the Bruins control of the puck, Dominik Florian picked took a loose puck off the right end boards, cut into the right slot area and blistered a shot into the upper left corner.

The Bruins led 3-2.  Simon Petersson got the assist.  Austin’s Easton Villtala should have gotten an assist for his use of stick (see pictures).

A minute after the Austin goal, a Magician play hit a Bruin in their defensive zone high and dropped the Bruin immediately.  The Magician was immediately given a 5 minute major for a blow to the head.

Austin set up in the power play in the Magicians zone and controlled play for the first 3 minutes of the 5 minute power play, but couldn’t score. Nies and the defense just kept the Bruins off tempo enough to kill any good shots on net.  In the last two minutes of the power play, the Magicians forced the play into neutral ice or into the Bruins’ zone.

The Magicians’ Colin Hernon tied the game with just under 4 minutes left.  Nick Kuchera got the assist  Kuchera beat the Austin defense in the neutral ice setting up a 2-on-1 with Hernon.  He carried the puck into the top of the right face off and fed Hernon a pass breaking into the low left slot.  Hernon’s shot beat Lehr on the right side to tie the score 3-3.

After that goal, the Magicians stopped moving were pinned in their zone for most of the remaining time.  Austin’s Trey Dodd scored the winner with 35 seconds left in the game.  Dodd picked up the puck on the end boards behind the Magicians’ net and scored putting the puck off the back of goalie Nies into the net for the winner.  Easton Vitala got the assist.

From the 7 minute mark of the second period to the 12 minute mark of the third, the Magicians skated shorthanded.  A series of penalties one after another ending with a 5 minute major was the cause.  The Magicians skated most of those 15 minutes down a man.  Austin out shot the Magicians 52-32.

The Magicians open their first NAHL season Wednesday at the Super Rink.  They play Wichita Falls at 1:45 PM.  The Falls have won their first two NAHL games, beating Odessa twice 4-0 and 6-2.  The Magicians play Michigan on Thursday, Wenatchee on Friday, and Odessa on Saturday.  All games are at the Super Rink.

In other Midwest Division play, Fairbanks beat Kenai River twice this weekend, 5-1 and 5-4.  Wenatchee, Coulee Region, and the Minnesota Wilderness will all open their seasons at the Showcase this week.