Penalty-fest

After jumping out to an early two goal lead, the Providence Bruins succumbed to the weaponry of the Minnesota Sorta-Wild, ending with a tie to continue the team's unbeaten streak. Moreover, the Bruins beat themselves with stupid penalties, giving Minnesota six power play opportunities which were converted for both of the team's goals. In fact, of the Bruins' possible three hundred minutes of regulation ice time, more than seventeen percent was spent in the penalty box.

Jaakko Harikkala struck first, at 01:36 of the first period, to open the scoring of the game. Fearing a shootout, Minnesota tried to slow the tempo, and actually succeeded. The Not-Quite-Wild-Yet gave the Bruins one power play opportunity in the period which they killed. Then retailiated for Paul Gaustad injuring Richard Stehlik with Aaron Johnson jumping Gaustad from behind. Despite the cheapshot, Gaustad handled the Big Johnson easily, being ruled the fight winner by the crowd. Both men were sent to the penalty box for fighting at 19:17, but were released at the intermission.

The second period got underway with open ice and four-on-four competition, and Martin Samuelsson is best on open ice. He scored on a still-settling Jim Howard at 00:25 to put Boston up 2-0. After that, though, the play got ugly. Minnesota was whistled for a series of penalties, and Providence could not capitalize on the advantages. There were even two bizarre double penalties, including a Liffiton-Jurina elbow-unsportsmanlike conduct series. Jurcina ended up gathering a double minor on the incident, setting up a Minnesota power play.

At 19:36, the We-Wish-We-Really-Were-Wild took advantage of Jurcina's absence as Joakim Lindstrom beat Jordan Sigalet gloveside at 19:36 to close the margin to one goal as the second period ended.

The third period was just as whistle-happ. Aaron Johnson received his second beating of the night, this time at the hands of Shaone Morrison, and was ejected. Minnesota was whistled for another cross-checking penalty just six seconds later, giving the Bruins almost two minutes of four-on-three play but once again, the PPP (pathetic power play) couldn't accomplish anything.

Milan Jurcina earned a hooking penalty at 03:48 which set up the Minnesota power play for five-on-four when Chernykh was released thirty seconds later. With the defender boxed up, Grant Jacobson picked an errant Meszaros pass and turned it past a shocked Sigalet for the game-tying goal.

A whole slew of penalties rounded out the third period, but no more scoring. For the second time in as many games, the Baby Bruins headed to overtime. This time, though, they would not escape victorious. Instead, both teams played ultra conservative and took only one shot on goal, leading to the resulting tie.

When all was said and done, the league insisted it would review the penalty-fest and determine if suspensions were necessary. The two teams combined for ninety minutes of penalties - thirty-eight for Minnesota, fifty-two for Providence - in what may be a new Junior League record.