Sports
Braves fall to fourth seed after losses to top teams
Tyler Ohmann
02/12/2013
The Bottineau-Rugby (BR) Braves quest for a top seed in the West Region tournament came to a close this past week as the Braves lost to the top three teams in the region.
BR played three games in three days against the three toughest opponents they’ve played all season, getting bested by Minot 7-4 on Thursday, Bismarck Century 6-5 on Friday and Bismarck High 5-2 on Saturday.
The week started with the Braves in second place and a chance to pass leading Bismarck Century if things were to swing in their favor—they didn’t.
It started with a loss in Minot on Thursday. Both teams played to a 1-1 tie in the first period as the lone BR goal came on a Wyatt Johnson tip in off a Cody Longie shot. Luke Amsbaugh also assisted on the play.
Then the Magicians went to work in the second period, scoring twice early to go up 3-1. BR was able to even the score as Harrison Aide scored on passes from Amsbaugh and Andrew Hill and Hill scored a goal of his own to even it. Assisting on the Hill goal were Longie and Aide.
Minot again took the lead, as they went up 4-3 near the end of the second frame, but the Braves answered back.
Johnson scored his second marker to tie the game heading into the third period. Longie and Amsbaugh each earned their third assists of the game on the play.
However, Minot continued their scoring barrage, and this time, the Braves were unable to answer back as the Magicians notched a 7-4 win.
BR goaltender Riley Monson stopped 36-of-43 Minot shots as the Braves were out shot 43-36.
“We really made if tough on ourselves in the Minot game,” stated Braves head coach David Hoff. “We had trouble staying out of the penalty box, and it’s tough to gain momentum from there.”
The Braves had another tough task on Friday night as they hosted the West Region leading Bismarck Century Patriots.
BR fell behind early once again as the Patriots scored two goals in the opening frame, and the Braves were unable to score.
The Braves did find the net in the second period as they attempted to claw their way back. Johnson scored his third goal in the past two games. Longie and Aide earned helpers on the play. BR then tied the game at two a piece with a Longie goal off of an Amsbaugh pass.
The Patriots then scored two more goals to take a 4-2 lead.
However, the Braves were not done as they once again evened the score. The first goal came from Longie as he took passes from Amsbaugh and Aide and hit the back of the net behind Century goalie Jack Abfalter.
Then BR tied the game as Aide and Longie combined to assist a Hill goal.
However, the Patriots would score twice more to gain yet another two goal lead before the period was over.
“In the Century game we kept crawling back in it but could not sustain momentum,” Hoff stated. “We got it even twice but they got two back on us in both cases.”
BR scored once more in the final frame as Noah Grant slid a shot past Abfalter. Cody Bedlion was credited with an assist.
Monson was able to shut down the Patriot offense in the final period, but the Braves could score no more. Monson finished with 31 saves in 37 opportunities.
The Braves still had a chance to finish as the third seed if they were able to capture a six-point victory on Saturday over the visiting Bismarck High Demons.
Things started well for BR as Bedlion scored an opening period goal. Braden Pewe assisted on the goal that gave BR a 1-0 lead after one period.
However, the Demons took the lead away from the Braves in the second period, scoring three consecutive goals in the period to go up 3-1.
Longie was able to score to cut the lead to one late in the period on assists from Aide and Amsbaugh, but the Braves were again bested. The Demons scored twice more in the final period and the Braves could not find the back of the net.
Monson had 27 saves in the losing effort.
“I thought we really had trouble with Bismarck High,” Hoff stated. “I’m not sure we had the momentum at any point in that game.”
The three losses kept the Braves stagnant at 31 points, which finished them in fourth place in the regular season region standings.
They were 14-5-1 overall and 10-4-1 in region play for the season.
A fourth place finish also meant the Braves have a fourth seed and will play fifth-seeded Jamestown in the West Region Tournament on Thursday. BR will play at approximately 1:30 p.m. at All Seasons Arena in Minot.