Weekend Preview – Aberdeen @ Austin

Jan 15, 2014

The Aberdeen Wings will be on the road for a weekend series with the Austin Bruins. Both teams are 2-2 against each other.

The Aberdeen Wings are coming off a 4-3 shootout win at Bismarck. The Wings were off last Saturday, but practice and preparation for Austin started right away Monday. The Bruins are coming off a two-game win sweep at home against the Minot Minotauros and will be looking to remain at the top of the division standings. Aberdeen is three points behind Austin and two points behind Bismarck, as the Bobcats had a game last Saturday and the Wings did not.

For the Austin Bruins, maybe one to keep an eye on would forward #8 Lucas Kohls (F-Forest Lake, MN) who has scored a goal in each of the four games against Aberdeen. Other notable performers against Aberdeen this year have been forward Jay Dickman and defenseman Josh Bretner. Dickman has two goals and three assists and Bretner has added two goals and 4 assists in the four games against the Wings. Bruins goaltender Nick Lehr is 2-1 against Aberdeen this year, stopping 90 of 96 shots. This season Lehr is 22-8-0, but Austin just acquired goaltender Dillon Kelley from the Michigan Warriors where he was 7-7-2.

The Aberdeen Wings coming off the big win over Bismarck are 6-1-0 in their last 7 games. One of the hottest players for the Wings is now over in Spain playing for his home country Iceland in the 2014 World Junior Championships, #21 Bjorn Sigurdarson (F-Reykjavik, Iceland) who has tallied four goals and three assists in the past 7 games. But the Wings have plenty of other hot sticks, especially against Austin. Wings forward #8 Drew Doyon (F-Indianapolis, IN) has two goals against Austin this season while rookie forward #11 TJ Roo (F-Coon Rapids, MN) has two goals and three assists. Roo this week made his college commitment to Bemidji State University. Wings assistant captain #15 Jordan Heller (F-Bemidji, MN) also has tallied two goals and two assists this season against Austin. In the past seven games, some notable performances would include Wings defenseman #20 Dillon Eichstadt (D-Bemidji, MN) who has compiled one goal and six assists. Heller has three goals and two assists and Wings captain #4 Jake Horton (D-Plymouth, MN) has chipped in two goals and four assists. Goaltender #1 Chad Catt (G-Williamstown, MI) is 2-2 this season against Austin, 14-7-1 for the season.

In the four games against Austin, the Wings have outscored the Bruins 12-10. The Aberdeen Wings will enter the game with the 2nd best power play in the NAHL. Austin however is very good on the penalty kill ranking 3rd in the NAHL, but so is Aberdeen ranked 5th in the penalty kill. Aberdeen also has the least amount of penalty minutes in the entire NAHL which means the Wings staying out of the penalty box could be a key to the game.

You can hear both games this weekend on the Wings Radio Network (107.7 KABD-FM), by clicking the “Listen Live” tab on the home page, or Watch/Listen on FASTHockey.com.