The Kenai River Brown Bears dropped a 3-2 decision on the road to the Bismarck (North Dakota) Bobcats on Friday in North American Hockey League play.
The Brown Bears fall to 4-5-0-0 and into a tie for fourth place in the Midwest Division, while Bismarck moves to 4-5-0-0 and into third in the Central Division. The same two teams drop the puck tonight at 4:15 p.m.
Matej Murin and Jared Resseguie were the two major thorns in the side of the Bears on Friday. Murin had a hat trick, while Resseguie had three assists.
Murin had goals late in the first period and early in the second period before Kenai River’s league-leading power play struck again. Gil Garcia scored his league-leading eighth goal on assists from Sacha Guillemain and Eagle River’s Cameron McDonald. The Bears lead the league with 16 power-play goals.
But Murin came right back with a goal before the close of the second period for a 3-1 lead. Michael Spethmann scored unassisted with 16 minutes, 17 seconds, left in the game, but Kenai River could not find the equalizer.
Artur Pavliukov had 20 saves on 23 shots for the Bears, while Gavin Enright stopped all 11 shots he saw in relief. Ryan Ullan had 30 saves for Bismarck.
Friday
Brown Bears 3, Bobcats 2
Kenai River 0 1 1 — 2
Bismarck 1 2 0 — 3
First period — 1. Bismarck, Murin (Resseguie), 18:18. Penalties — none.
Second period — 2. Bismarck, Murin (Mahan, Resseguie), 0:41; 2. Kenai River, Garcia (Guillemain, C. McDonald), pp, 10:38; 3. Bismarck, Murin (Resseguie), 15:59. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Bismarck 3 for 14:00.
Third period — 4. Kenai River, Spethmann (un.), 3:43. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Bismarck 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 8-11-13—32; Bismarck 10-13-11—34.
Goalies — Kenai River, Pavliukov (23 shots, 20 saves), Enright (11 shots, 11 saves); Bismarck, Ullan (32 shots, 30 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 1 for 3; Bismarck 0 for 4.
