NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX — It’s highly likely that the Brahmas did not get off to the start they were hoping for in December. After all, a 5-1 loss to the Odessa Jackalopes isn’t quite how you want to open a month.
It was a game to forget for the Brahmas — or rather, a game to dissect, learn from, and then move on from.
The penalty kill unit had a particularly rough night, killing just one of four penalties and surrendering three power play goals on the evening. That’s a disappointing performance by any standards, but especially for a Brahmas team that prides itself on a very good kill year after year.
On the bright side, the team did avoid getting shut out with a late goal from Michael Montambault. Montambault scored with 2.2 seconds left on the clock, ruining Odessa goaltender Alex Camarre’s shutout bid.
Saturday’s game got off to a much better start for the Brahmas, with the team scoring three goals in the first to take a commanding lead over the Jacks.
Defenseman Drew Lennon, who recently made his commitment to University of Alabama-Huntsville, was the first on the board. Ture Linden was next, taking advantage of a deft Austin Bottrell feed to score his first of two goals on the night. Kimball Johnson capped off the scoring on the period with a point shot on the power play.
The Brahmas wouldn’t score again until overtime after allowing the Jacks to score three unanswered goals in regulation.
Luckily, the 3-on-3 overtime format favored the Brahmas this time, with Bottrell and Linden combining again for the game winner. With the win, the Brahmas still hold a 5-1-0 season series lead over Odessa.
The Brahmas continue their homestand this weekend with games on Friday and Saturday night against the Corpus Christi IceRays. The puck drop for both games is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
Remember, Friday night is our annual Teddy Bear Toss! Bring your new stuffed animals to toss onto the ice. All donated toys will be taken to the Community Enrichment Center and will be distributed to children throughout this holiday season.
Don’t forget to follow along and stay up to date with the latest Brahmas news and content by keeping an eye on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat accounts!