Brahmas sign amateur defenseman

Former Texas Tornado joins team for playoffs

The Texas Brahmas have signed defenseman Matt Krug to an amateur tryout contract today.

The 6', 0", 230-pound native of Southfield, Michigan graduated in 2003 from Livonia Churchill High School where he played three years on the Chargers hockey squad, two years on the football team (middle linebacker) and one year on the baseball team (left field and catcher). He was a two-time honorable mention all-state selection in hockey.

Krug played two seasons of junior hockey (2003-04, 2004-05) with the Texas Tornado (NAHL) where he tallied 50 points (12 G, 38 A) and 253 penalty minutes in 89 games played.

Krug attended Wayne State University (NCAA) where he played for three seasons. He was considered to be one of the top defenseman in the College Hockey America (CHA) conference. He was a three-time letter winner for the Warriors and was named to the College Hockey America All-Academic Team in 2007. In 2007-08, Krug finished with a career-high 13 points and was 10th among CHA defensemen. In December 2006, he was named CHA Defensive Player of the Week and in 2005 he garnered a CHA Rookie of the Week award. While at Wayne State, Krug set a single-season record for accumulating 106 penalty minutes. Last summer, Krug participated in the NHL prospect camp for the Washington Capitals after taking part in the Atlanta Thrashers camp in 2007.

Last season, Krug transferred to Robert Morris University (NCAA) where he scored nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 56 penalty minutes in 29 games played.

Krug is expected to be on the bench in tonight's game against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.

The Insider Interview - Playoff Edition

Matt Burto

The rookie forward talks about his influences, playing college hockey and joining the Texas Brahmas

Matt Burto has completed his first regular season in professional hockey. At 24, the Orange, Connecticut native played in 53 games, tallying 11 points (6 G, 5 A) and 49 penalty minutes. He had a short-handed goal, a short-handed assist and score three game-winning goals, including the one that beat the Colorado Eagles on February 6th.

An alumni of the Hartford Junior Wolf Pack Midget U-16 Hockey Club, Burto attended the Avon Old Farms school in Avon, Connecticut where he was an All-New England selection and Team Most Valuable Player. He also played for the Boston Junior Bruins (EJHL) where he was an Eastern Junior Hockey League All-Star. He led the Bruins with 85 points (42 G, 43 A) in 62 games.

In 2002-03, he played for the Des Moines Buccaneers (NAHL) where he notched 29 points (10 G, 19 A) and 75 penalty minutes in the regular season and an assist and four penalty minutes in four games played in the playoffs. The Buccaneers advanced to the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs where they were eliminated by the regular season champions, the Tri-City Storm.

He played for four seasons at UMass-Amherst (NCAA) where he tallied 35 points (17 G, 18 A) and 35 penalty minutes in 113 games played. During his senior year, he scored the game-winning goal against #4 Colorado College in overtime to capture the (Tampa Bay) Lightning College Hockey Classic and was named MVP of the tournament.

I spoke with Matt recently about his influences, playing college hockey and joining the Texas Brahmas. Here is our conversation.

Q: Growing up in Connecticut, who was it that influenced you to play hockey; where did that decision come about when you were a youngster?

A: When I was younger, I used to always go to the New Haven Nighthawks games, in the AHL. My grandfather had season tickets, so he'd always bring me, when I was about three. He made me learn how to skate before I could play hockey, because that's pretty much the name of the game, you have to be able to skate before you can do anything else. So my grandfather, he pretty much got me into it. And then my grandmother, if he couldn't bring me, she would always bring me everywhere that I needed to go, even when my mom couldn't be around or was not. So, my grandparents had the biggest influence on hockey.

Q: So when you went on to the NAHL to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers, were you just advancing with what you were having some fun doing, or did you already have it in your mind that you'd like to pursue hockey seriously?

A: Certainly when you're little, you always think you'd like to try and make it to the NHL, so I mean, I've always loved the game, so I've always wanted to continue with it. When I was with the Jr. Bruins, and even before that, I was drafted in the Quebec Major Juniors when I was 16, so I had a big decision to make at that point. Should I go Major Junior or should I go to college? Everyone pretty much wanted me to go and get an education because you pretty much need that now. It's worked out pretty well, I mean, I have my degree now and I'm still playing hockey, so I have something to fall back on. I suppose if I would have gone to play Major Junior and I didn't get a degree, It would be kind of tough with no schooling after hockey. I think I made a smart decision.

Q: Who was your biggest influence overall?

A: My grandparents, again, they really stressed working hard - a good work ethic is going to get you places. My grandfather was always a stickler with a lot of little things, but I kind of picked up on that. My grandmother was always a character person. You know, think before you do something because it will reflect badly on you if you make the wrong decision.

Q: And as far as professional hockey players, who were your heroes?

A: Growing up, I used to like Pavel Bure and Peter Forsberg and also Mario Lemieux, they were the three people I'd always watch. Pavel Bure was definitely my favorite player.

Q: When you decided to go to UMass-Amherst, was the decision partly based on the hockey program or was it purely academic?

A: It's kind of funny, my decision for UMass was due to one of my best friends. I committed there and he was already there when I was looking at it. I liked that the program was up and coming and I liked the coaching staff. Actually, in my freshman year, the people that recruited me had taken better jobs at other places so I had new coaches coming in, but overall, my best friend was going there and I wanted to be there with him. He happened to leave after his sophomore year. It was a good choice though and I don't regret it. If my best friend would have remained there, it would have been even better. I made a lot of friends there. We were the first team to go to the NCAA Tournament for UMass (2006-07), and also I got to play in the Hockey East Finals at the TD Banknorth Garden (in Boston) which was pretty nice.

Q: ...And you had a the game-winning goal in overtime at the Lightning College Hockey Classic in Tampa Bay?

A: Yeah.

Q: How did hockey mix with your academic requirements?

A: Hockey is pretty much very...not overwhelming but hockey didn't come first, but it did. You know, because you always had to be ready to play and you're always on the road but I always found a way to get my academics done. I would bring my stuff on the road and I always just found a way to make it work. Even though the college hockey season is the longest college season of any sport; it just goes on and on, but you just have to find a way.

Q: In the Summer of 2007, you had the opportunity to represent the U.S. at the first World Jewish Ice Hockey Championship In Northern Israel. The United States won gold, 2-1, over the host nation and also defeated Israel in round-robin play. Did you feel secure there?

A: The village we were in, Metulla, was on the border of Lebanon. It was a very small place and there was just the one rink. There was two hotels but it had a homey feel to it. I didn't feel threatened at all. Even when we went into the old city; that was an eye-opening experience though, because of all of the different cultures right inside the one city. It was a good experience. Right after I left, that's when the big stuff happened on the Gaza Strip. I'm kind of glad I got to go there when I did and not have everything happen while I was there. I actually got asked to go - they're having another tournament this year - but I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it. It's for two weeks.

Q: After finishing up at UMass, how were you recruited by the Texas Brahmas?

A: I had an agent and he talked to Dan. I had to do research about the team and the area but the big thing was that Dan called me and he was very active in that. So I felt more like I was wanted rather than some other places who were offering, like, here it is, take it or leave it.

Q: When you first met Dan, did you have the feeling that a lot of people get, that this guy is really intense?

A: He's a competitor. He always wants the best out of you. If he gets the best out of you, you're likely to win more games. He just always wants you to play hard. If you work and play hard, you're going to get the bounces later on.

Q: Both Dan and even Mike Barack have commented to me about how hard you work. You have a very physical presence out on the ice; you're all about and play a good number of shifts. How do you feel about how your first season as a pro has gone for you?

A: Pretty good. I've pretty much been trying to keep my game simple and not do too much. You know, do all the little things better than everyone else...if you keep the game simple, it's going to be better for you instead of trying to make pretty plays, like passes through three guys. If you keep it simple, you're going to play better but also...like in the beginning of the year, I wasn't playing as much, but when I got my chance, I was proving that I can play, so I'm pretty happy with the year.

Q: How do you feel about your reception by the fans and the home ice experience at NYTEX in general?

A: NYTEX is definitely a different experience. Especially coming from a college where our arena holds 8,000 and we would get 5-7,000 every night. But I like the smaller rink and I like the atmosphere a lot. The fans are great. It's always loud. I'd much rather have a smaller rink that's sold out all the time than a huge arena where only a couple of thousand show up. You feel more at home. You definitely have a good home-ice advantage here just because of the fans' presence and their support.

Q: How did you feel as an individual and how do you think the guys felt coming into the playoffs...I know everyone was excited but do you feel confident in the team that you have and what your capabilities are?

A: Oh yeah, we have a great group of guys and we've had a great season. If we just stick to the way that we've been playing, I think we'll be pretty successful.

Q: Coming on board with a very successful team, are you pretty excited about the possibility of winning a cup in your first year?

A: Oh yeah, the whole reason to play in the playoffs is just to win it. I mean, I don't want the season to end early. I definitely just want to get to the finals.

Photo Credit: Top - Robert Keith, Middle - University of Massachusetts

Brahmas win big at the Dodge Center!

Defeat the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 6-2, take three game lead in series

The Texas Brahmas are just one victory away from a trip to the Southern Conference Championship series after winning their third game in a row tonight over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. The 6-2 win at the Dodge Center puts the Brahmas in position to sweep the 'Bees, who were unable to produce any offensive momentum in the game. Six different Brahmas scored goals (Cameron, Kinnunen, Skworchinski, McLeod, Rouleau, Sheppard), once again showing their depth.

"I think we finally played the way we are capable of playing," Brahmas head coach Dan Wildfong said. "We played our systems well and we played a full 60 minutes - I think we had two or three breakdowns and when we did, they capitalized, but other than that, I think we gave them a lot, so I was happy with tonight."

The Brahmas looked sharp from the outset and they scored almost immediately. Grant Jacobsen's shot rang off the glove side of the pipe and then Jordan Cameron slapped the puck in on the rebound to make it 1-0 at the :51 mark. Jacobsen and Matt Burto were credited with the assist.

The Killer Bees looked a bit sluggish coming out of the gates. Down two games to none, the 'Bees seemed to lack the urgency that one would expect from a team in their position.

A close call for the Brahmas came when Jay Hardwick sent a shot in and Jaeger made a glove save but the puck bounced out and landed near the goal line and Jaeger nearly pushed it in as he tried to recover.

Penalties were light as referee J.P. Silvain turned a blind eye to infractions on both sides. An exception came as Jordan Cameron had his shot stopped by Wylie Rogers and then clocked Grant Goeckner-Zoeller with an elbow to the face. After the bodies were removed from the ensuing scrum, Cameron was given a double-minor for Elbowing and Roughing. Defenseman Jesse Perrin was also called for Roughing. The Brahmas, who have struggled with the penalty kill all season, were able to hold off the 'Bees.

Rio Grande Valley led on the shot count 13-10 after 20 minutes but the score remained 1-0, Brahmas.

The physical play increased in the second period. Matt Burto was called for Slashing at the 6:12 mark. The Brahmas, who led the league in short-handed goals during the regular season, scored another just 24 seconds later when all-star defenseman Justin Kinnunen stole the puck at the 'Bees blue line and beat Rogers with an unassisted strike at the 6:36 mark.

Less than a minute later, Rogers made a huge stop when the Brahmas' Tyler Skworchinski had a clear shot after a breakaway.

The Killer Bees finally made it onto the board when Matt Byrnes sent the puck to Aaron Lee, who was positioned outside the left circle. Lee's shot rolled past Brett Jaeger in a narrow opening between his leg and the pipe to make it a 2-1 game at the 8:31 mark.

The Brahmas remained on the attack throughout the period and Wylie Rogers made save after save, eventually facing 18 shots in the middle period.

The Killer Bees started losing discipline mid-way through the period, taking three penalties in a row. After the third penalty, the Brahmas scored 33 seconds into the ensuing powerplay when Tyler Skworchinski, re-directed a 50' shot by defenseman Kevin McLeod, rifling the puck past a screened Rogers, who never saw it coming. Nathan Saunders was also credited with the assist. At the 17:54 mark, it was 3-1, Brahmas.

Less than two minutes later, Scott Sheppard sent a redirect to McLeod, who sent the puck high on the blocker side to make it 4-1 with just 19 seconds left in the period.

The Brahmas led the shot count 18-5 in the period and led 28-18 after 40 minutes.

In clear control of the game after two periods, the Brahmas scored again with a wrap-around goal by Pete Rouleau who beat an out-of-position Wylie Rogers at the 7:18 mark. Matt Quinn was also in on the assist.

The Killer Bees managed to score again at the 9:46 mark when Jesse Bennefield put one past Brett Jaeger with the assist by Grant Goeckner-Zoeller and Topher Scott.

Brahmas fans held their collective breath a couple of minutes later when Brett Jaeger apparently hyper-extended his right leg after the 'Bees Evan Rankin landed on him in the net. Rankin had been hooked from behind by Justin Kinnunen, who would be called for Tripping. Unable to shake off the pain, Jaeger went back to the bench after stopping 23 of 25 shots and relief goaltender David Cacciola came in to finish the game.

The Killer Bees were unable to convert on the powerplay and could not solve Cacciola who would make four saves. They gave up another goal at the 19:26 mark when Scott Sheppard sent the puck straight into the net with the assist from Brandon Benedict and Jason Deitsch. The game would end with the final score 6-2, Brahmas.

Rio Grande Valley was unable to convert on all four of their powerplay opportunities. The Brahmas went one for five.

Brett Jaeger got the win, his third in a row in the playoffs.

Wylie Rogers took his third loss in a row, stopping 27 of 33 shots. The final shot count was 33-29, advantage Brahmas.

When asked what he would tell his players going into Friday night's game four, Killer Bees head coach Chris Brooks commented:

"It's no different than when we started the series; right now we're 12 wins away from the championship," Brooks said. "If you look at it any other way, you're done. You've got to come out, stick to game plan and really commit to playing defense...skate on the cycle. We've been loose on the cycle. Probably three of the goals tonight, we got beat off the cycle. We've got to be stronger."

The 3rd star went to Tyler Skworchinski who had a goal tonight. The 2nd star went to Justin Kinnunen, who also had a goal and the 1st star went to Kevin McLeod, who had a goal and an assist.

The Brahmas were assessed 10 minutes on five minors. The Killer Bees were assisted 12 minutes on six infractions.

You can view the box score here

The series will continue with game four set for Friday night at 7:35pm.

The Insider Interview – Playoff Edition

Chris Brooks

The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees' head coach talks about personnel moves, the Brahmas and the playoffs

When I first spoke to Chris Brooks back in early December, I didn't know what to think. Just like I didn't know what to think about his appointment to the position of head coach of the beleaguered Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.

At that point, the 'Bees were having a mediocre season, not much of an improvement over last season's worst performance in the league. But Brooks began making some bold personnel moves in mid-December, starting with the removal of right wing Rob Voltera from the team. The Travis Banga trade to the Brahmas in early January turned some heads, for sure. Then something changed. The 'Bees started winning.

Think what you may of Chris Brooks as a competitor and a rookie head coach, but he has done an amazing job with the Killer Bees and regardless of the outcome of the Southern Conference Semi-finals, I think we'll be seeing more great hockey in the Rio Grande Valley for seasons to come.

Chris and I spoke a few times recently. Here is the result of our conversations.

Q: You’ve had to make some tough decisions on personnel in your first season as head coach. Let’s start off with Rob Voltera. How did you decide to release him?

A: I just thought that with the team that I was putting together and the culture that I was creating, it just wasn’t a match for Rob and the organization….that month when Voltera, Bouchard, and Banga all left; it was a tough month mentally. It was something I wasn’t prepared for as a young coach. It weighed on my family life and I finally got to a point with Voltera, where it was affecting what I was doing at home. I just said I need to take care of it. I was hanging on to him and I was thinking maybe I can change him, maybe I can change him, maybe I can change him, and I wasn’t doing it and the time I was putting in wasn’t fair to everyone else, so I decided to make that change.

Q: Robin Bouchard actually asked to leave the team…

A: His daughter had been sick with allergies and sinus colds and stuff and she was having allergic reactions to the environment down in Rio Grande Valley and he came to me and said that he was going home and I respected that decision and waived him to the league.

Q: Was the Travis Banga situation difficult for you?

A: When Travis came to me and sort of disagreed with my decision to bring back Dennis Maxwell, you know, players don’t control those decisions, I do. As soon as I start letting players control the decisions that I make, it’s letting the prisoners run the asylum and at this level, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t let that happen. I’m the boss and I’ll prosper from my decisions and I’ll lose from my decisions. I like our team right now. Do I think we’re a better team than we were back on December 15th before I made the decisions, no question. I feel real comfortable with the team that I have put together.

Q: The Travis Banga trade was a bit controversial in that it was an inter-divisional trade and obviously you felt it had to be done. You ended up with a couple of young men that are probably going to benefit you down the stretch…

A: I took some criticism because it was there first time where there had been an inter-divisional trade since 2004 or something like that. I had a couple of coaches call me about the trade. You know, as a first year coach, trying to do what I’m doing, I have to take care of my team right now. I can’t really look at how it’s going to affect Texas or how it’s going to affect Laredo or how it’s going to affect any other team in our division. Right now, it’s my job to make our team better. In dealing with Dan, Dan was the best offer that I had in that trade and felt it made the team better. I got two future considerations in the trade and Topher and Matt Byrnes both fit really well into our team and I knew that. I knew both of their college coaches from when I was in college. I thought that the trade was a no-brainer and the kids have fit in very well and have played very well for me and are very excited to be a part of our franchise.

Q: Topher Scott, when he came on with the Texas Brahmas, really showed something right from the beginning. Not just in scoring but also in his work ethic and his determination and his toughness…

A: It’s funny because Topher’s college coach recruited me and coached me at Western Michigan. I tried to get Topher to come and play for me before Dan did. I’ve been working on trying to get Topher away from the Brahmas because Topher Scott is a kid that you win with. He’s a proven winner. Every team he’s played on has been successful. At any level you coach, you want to surround yourself with those types of kids. He’s a phenomenal kid, an unbelievable hockey player with unbelievable passion. He makes my team better in the locker room. The habits that kid has are second to none.

Q: You told me once before that you’ve told your team that they may not be the most skilled players in the Central Hockey League, but their work ethic is what sets them apart. How much has the work ethic come into play as a factor in your team’s success this season?

A: I think if you look at our record since January 1st, our record is as good as anybody in the league. The thing that I’ve always believed as a coach since I first got into coaching is that I want teams that play the game like I played it as a player. You, know I had the opportunity to play at high levels; I played some games in the American Hockey League and I played some games in the IHL. And it wasn’t that I was the most skilled person but I showed up to practice every day like it was my last. I played the game, every game, like it the last game of my life. I talk to our players about that constantly. I’ve made some decisions that a lot of people have questioned throughout the season, but in the end, I knew exactly what I was getting back in return – players that have the same beliefs that I do as a coach. That work ethic has gotten us to where we’re at and I think that is a big part of our identity as a team.

Q: Your team had split wins with the Brahmas in the regular season. Do you think that your boys have the potential to take this series and move on to the next opponent?

A: I believe it, and I think everybody in the room believes that we have the team that can win a championship. Hockey’s a funny sport. The bounce of a puck, goaltending, refereeing, there’s a lot of factors in it but if we come out and play our game – you look at it on paper – Corpus on paper, at the start of the season, I would have told you Corpus had a better team than us on paper. Looking at their team on paper going into the playoffs, they probably had a better team than us on paper. We worked our system, we made sacrifices and we found a way to win that series. It’s no different than coming in and playing the Brahmas. On paper, they’ve got, like I said the other day to a reporter, they’ve probably got five or six players on this team that could play at the next level. They’ve had three or four kids called up this year that can play at the next level. In order for us to be successful, we have to play to our identity. We have to work extremely hard, we have to be disciplined, and we have to get good goaltending and really sacrifice. In playoff hockey, you’ve got to make sacrifices and for me, playoff hockey has always been more about the mental part of the game than the physical. And we have to be mentally strong heading into what I expect to be a seven game series.

Q: From a personal standpoint, as a first-year head coach, after going through what you’ve gone through in the regular season and now into the playoffs, how has the stress level and the anxiety level worn on you?

A: I get to certain points in the game – last Thursday night’s game (against Corpus Christi) was a tough game and a tough day. It’s probably my fault too because my family came over to Corpus and we got home late and I didn’t get much sleep. The toughest part is getting into an eating routine. Now when you don’t eat and you don’t get much sleep and you’re dealing with some of the stress that you deal with, it’s tough on you but it’s good to get on the road here and get a little bit more rest and really focus. I’m at ease with our team, you know, I have expectations. The guys know the expectations. You know, I’ve got a bunch of guys that really care about each other. They’ve bought into the beliefs that I have as a person and as a coach and I have the utmost trust in my team.

Q: How do you feel about your team’s performance in the second game?

A: I thought we worked extremely hard; I thought there was a lot of that game that we controlled. There are certain things in the game that you don’t control and you’ve got to battle through it and I think our guys showed a lot of courage battling though some of the adversity throughout that game.

Q: Down two games but going back to your own barn; you guys have a great record down there. You definitely have something to fight back for, you know, backs up against the wall. What do you think is going to be the key for your team on home ice?

A: We just have to eliminate mistakes. We made mistakes…every goal that they scored was due to mistakes on our system that we just can’t afford to make at this time of the year. We need guys to become more accountable and tighten up on the rush, tighten up more on the cycle; you give them time and space to come up on the back of your net and they will capitalize on their opportunities.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Southern Conference Semi-Finals Game 3 watching party at ZuRoma tonight!

All Brahmas road playoff games vs Rio to be shown at ZuRoma Bar and Grill in NYTEX

Enjoy good food and company tomorrow night when the Brahmas take on the Killer Bees for Game Three on the road in the Southern Conference Semifinals. ZuRoma Bar and Grill at the NYTEX Sports Centre is hosting game watching parties beginning at 6 PM for all Brahmas fans for all away playoff games in the series.

Throughout the series against Rio Grande Valley, ZuRoma will offer drink specials for all Brahmas fans and distribute door prizes during the intermission. Drink specials include: $2 Domestic Drafts, $3 Import Drafts, $3 Well Drinks and $4 Frozen Drinks.

The Brahmas are currently up 2-0 in the best of seven series and will look for their third victory tonight when the puck drops at 7:35pm. Game 4 is set for Friday night and Game 5 (if necessary) is scheduled for Saturday; both games begin at 7:35pm.

Despite not having the home ice advantage, Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong looks forward to having Brahmas fans uniting to watch the game at the NYTEX Sports Centre.

"This season our fans have been outstanding and very supportive. This is a great opportunity for the fans to come together and cheer us on while we are on the road. I hope for a great turnout at ZuRoma," said Wildfong.

Information taken from Texas Brahmas press release

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Brahmas send Killer Bees home with another loss

"Ugly" win still gives two game lead in series

The Texas Brahmas took game two of the Southern Conference Semi-finals on Sunday afternoon at the NYTEX Sports Centre. Down two games to none, the Rio Grande Killer Bees boarded their bus for the long ride home where they will get a little rest before they host the Brahmas on Wednesday evening for game three at the Dodge Center.

For the Brahmas, it was an ugly win; some would say the second ugly win in a row but a win nonetheless.

Brahmas head coach Dan Wildfong concurred.

“I don’t think either game was pretty at all, but obviously we got the job done,” Wildfong said. “I thought we came out and played a little more playoff hockey in our first game and in the second game, we just didn’t find that urgency right off the bat.”

The Killer Bees seemed to swarm the Brahmas through the first 15 minutes of play, effectively covering each attacking Brahma man-for-man.

24-year-old Brennan Sarazin, an amateur from RIT who signed just prior to the game, gave the Killer Bees the 1-0 lead at the 12:01 mark of the first period, silencing the hometown crowd of 2,132. Set up by Evan Rankin and Kurtis Dulle, Sarazin was able to beat Brett Jaeger, sending the puck over his left shoulder and into the net.

The Killer Bees were able to defend their lead for nearly five minutes until the Brahmas’ Greg McConnell scored an unassisted strike on Wylie Rogers at the 16:51 mark to even it up at 1-1. McConnell’s goal breathed some life into the Brahmas offensive effort and just 78 seconds later, Jason Deitsch fed the puck to Brandon Benedict who put it right between Wylie Rogers’ legs to take the 2-1 lead. Craig Minard was also in on the assist.

The Killer Bees struck again at the 6:20 mark of the second period when Matt Byrnes sent a wrister past Brett Jaeger to tie the score at 2-2. Aaron Lee and Jay Hardwick were credited with the assist.

Rather than capitalize on the momentum created by Byrnes’ goal, the Killer Bees’ discipline broke down, resulting in nine penalties in the middle period. A McConnell roughing call was about to put the Killer Bees on a power play late in the second period. But Rio Grande Valley’s Ryan Shmyr, upset by McConnell’s actions, had some choice words for Texas’ bench and was sent to the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct.

During the resulting four-on-four play, Brandon Benedict took a feed from Jason Deitsch and sent the puck past Wylie Rogers for his second goal of the night, re-taking the lead 11 seconds later at the 14:48 mark.

A scary moment came for Brahmas fans later in the period when forward Jordan Cameron went down after being slashed by Killer Bee defenseman Nicolas Dumoulin. Cameron was able to make it back to the bench, assisted by athletic trainer Tom Hart, but was unable to return to play. Dumoulin was assessed a Slashing Major and a Game Misconduct for his deed.

Jason Deitsch scored just 13 seconds into the resulting powerplay, giving the Brahmas a 4-2 lead at the 19:59 mark.

Tyler Skworchinski, who had two goals in the previous game, scored on a shot from the point at the 6:24 mark of the third period to give the Brahmas a 5-3 lead. Pete Rouleau was in on the assist.

The Killer Bees would mount a solid effort to tie the game up. But despite two consecutive powerplay goals by Grant Goeckner-Zoeller and Evan Rankin, the home team secured another victory and another loss for Wylie Rogers. Rogers saved 29 of 34 shots faced.

Brett Jaeger stopped 17 of 21 shots faced for his second playoff win in a row.

The Brahmas’ special teams continued to struggle, going just one for 10 in the game and has gone two for 16 in the series. The Killer Bees went two for six in the game and has gone 4 for 19 in the series.

You can view the box score here

You can view my photos from the game here

Game three will be at the Dodge Center in Hidalgo, Texas on Wednesday night. Chris Brooks is happy to be going back to home ice where the ‘Bees had a franchise best 21-8-3 record in the regular season. But he also knows that stopping the Brahmas’ momentum will require some discipline.

“We just have to eliminate mistakes,” Brooks said. “Every goal that they scored was due to mistakes in our systems. We need guys to become more accountable and tighten up on the rush, tighten up more on the cycle; you give them time and space and the puck’s going to end up in the back of your net”

Photo Credit: Robert Keith