BLOOMINGTON BISON WEEKEND GAMES
TUNG, ROBIDOUX, AND GAVLAS SHINE AGAINST MAINE
By: Erik Konwinski, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill – Parker Gavlas and Mikael Robidoux each scored in their return to the lineup, and Callum Tung made 45 saves, but the Bloomington Bison fell 4-3 to the Maine Mariners at Grossinger Motors Arena on Saturday evening.
Bloomington started with high energy and created a strong offensive zone presence while controlling zone time. The Mariners appeared to take an early lead, but the goal was disallowed upon review. Bloomington was held scoreless on back-to-back power-play chances before Maine struck first for a second straight game on the weekend. Tung was also strong in his return to home ice and stopped 13 of 14 shots in the frame, including an odd-man rush save and a one-timer while shorthanded. The Bison were assessed a late infraction and took to the penalty kill heading to the intermission. Before the final horn, Lou-Felix Denis was denied on a breakaway.
Bloomington killed off the carryover penalty, but the Mariners doubled their lead just over three minutes later. Tung blocked Maine’s bid to go up even more with a diving save on an odd-man rush and followed it up with a kick-save 30 seconds later. Robidoux and Gavlas took charge of the scoresheet to get Bloomington into the mix and bring up a 2-1 score. Gavlas set up a Robidoux one-timer to get the Bison in the score column exactly twelve minutes into the second. Tung made additional grade-A saves down the stretch, and flipping the script on the end of the first, Bloomington would carry over a power play into the second period.
The Bison required just 92 seconds to tie the game in the beginning of the third. With the same personnel on the ice at the conclusion of the powerplay, Mark Kaleinikovas blasted in a slap shot from Kyle Jackson and Eddie Matsushima. Maine scored five minutes later and further increased the deficit 80 ticks after that. Gavlas netted another slapshot goal with under six minutes remaining and the Bison later played with an extra attacker on the ice, but Maine held onto its lead. The contest marked Gavlas’s third multi-point game of the season and Tung’s 45 saves were the most by a Bison this season.
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BISON FALL TO MARINERS
By: Erik Konwinski, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill – The Bloomington Bison successfully killed off four penalties, and Dryden McKay made 32 saves, but the team ultimately fell 4-1 to the Maine Mariners at Grossinger Motors Arena on Friday evening.
Just under three minutes into the action, the Bison were nabbed with their first penalty of the contest, and the kill generated the home squad’s first shot on goal. Eddie Matsushima stole the puck inside his blue line and started a rush up ice for the chance. Moments after completing the successful kill, Bloomington was sent back to the box and improved to two-for-two. The flurry of infractions continued, and the Bison power play earned an opportunity 74 seconds after returning to full strength. Chris Ortiz defended the puck on the backhand and gave Bloomington its first power play. Despite crisp passing and extended zone time, the Bison were unable to score. Maine broke the tie by scoring off a defensive giveaway with just over six minutes remaining in the opening period and outshot Bloomington 11-5 through 20.
Bloomington flipped the script in the second, getting two power-play chances after killing off the carryover. Although the Bison were unable to capitalize on either opportunity, the momentum shifted to the home squad, which would outshoot the Mariners 16-9 in the middle stanza. McKay turned away all the chances he faced, including a behind-the-back glove save on a breakaway, and another breakaway chance while his team was on the power play. Kyle Jackson was denied on a one-on-one chance. Brad Morrison was also stopped on an odd-man rush for the best Bison looks of the period.
Bloomington began the final frame with speed and urgency, but Maine doubled its lead a minute in after the Bison defense joined a rush. The Mariners later went up 3-0, and in the final six minutes of regulation, Bloomington dominated zone time to try to climb back. The Bison pulled McKay for an extra attacker with just under three left. Nikita Sedov fed Mark Kaleinikovas from the left circle for a one-timer, and Jackson added the secondary assist to spoil Maine’s shutout bid. After Bloomington re-entered offensive ice and loaded shooting lanes, they pulled McKay again, and the Mariners found the empty net off a blocked shot 30 seconds later.
The Bison are back on home ice for Country Night, presented by Texas Roadhouse, when Brushville will perform a free post-game concert for all ticketed fans, and the first 2,000 in the building will receive a free cowboy hat!
Single-game tickets are available for ALL Bloomington Bison home games starting as low as $20! Visit ticketmaster.com or call 309-965-HERD to purchase tickets today.
