Bees hold on to beat Brahmas

HIDALGO — If the Killer Bees are going to make the playoffs they need to win tight games like Friday’s against the Texas Brahmas.

Though it was just the first game after the all-star break, the Bees have to be encouraged with how they handled the circumstances in their 3-2 win over Texas. Despite being outshot 37-18 overall and 16-2 in the third period, the Bees held on for their fourth win in six games and pulled even with idle Tulsa for the final playoff spot in the Berry Conference and two points behind the Brahmas for third.

“This is one of the biggest wins of the year considering they were four points up on us,” said center Brandon Campos, who had a goal and an assist. “This weekend every game’s a four-point game and we started it off right.”

The Bees (15-13-5) scored twice in the first 50 seconds of the second to take a 2-0 lead on goals by Aaron Lee and Campos. After Texas’ Jordan Kary scored on a penalty shot with 8:55 remaining in the same period, Tomas Klempa restored the Bees’ two-goal lead at the 19:37 mark of the second.

Despite allowing a Chad Woollard goal in the third, the Bees staved off the Brahmas (15-12-7) in the first of a three-game weekend between the teams. They also gave themselves some momentum for tonight and got closer to clinching a series victory.

“We get one tomorrow and we win the series automatically,” said winger Dan Gendur, who had two assists. “Tomorrow’s a huge game.”

Gendur, Campos and Klempa helped the Bees take advantage of the rare chances they had. Texas, which entered play Friday night 12th in the league in goals with 88, used its usual formula of tight defense to keep the game close.

The Bees knew that was going to happen and scored just enough for a big win, despite a third period that saw them on their heels for the majority of the 20 minutes.

“We’ve seriously got to shape up our third periods because it wasn’t very good,” Gendur said. “But you know what, we got a ‘W’ and I think that jumped us into fourth place, so that’s huge for us.”

Coach Terry Ruskowski echoed what Gendur said about the third. And like Gendur, he also recognized the meaning of Friday’s win.

“We needed that. It was a huge win for us. It was a huge win,” Ruskowski said. “Now we… I told the guys the good thing about it is we get to do it again tomorrow.”

Goalie Wylie Rogers had 35 saves in the win.

ICING: Defenseman A.J. Mikkelsen was a scratch with a migraine headache. … Prior to the game the Bees signed forward Tyler Barr. … The Bees wore special Harley-Davidson jerseys. They will be worn again tonight and auctioned off.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via email at bsandalow@themonitor.com.

Friday’s Game

KILLER BEES 3, BRAHMAS 2

TEX                            0        1       1     —       2

RGV                           0        3       0     —       3

First period — None. Penalties — Perrault, TEX (tripping) 1:33; Hodge, TEX (slashing) 9:31; Spady, TEX (interference) 19:46.

Second period — 1, RGV, Lee 17 (Wilson, Pearson) 0:35 (pp); 2, RGV, Campos 5 (Gendur) 0:50; 3, TEX, Kary 11 (penalty shot) 11:05; 4, RGV, Klempa 14 (Campos, Gendur) 19:37. Penalties — Pearson, RGV (unsportsmanlike conduct) 5:24; Barr, RGV (high-sticking) 7:42; Hunt, RGV (fighting major) 11:06; Hand, TEX (fighting major) 11:06.

Third period — 5, TEX, Woollard 15 (Fox) 13:03. Penalties — Wilson, RGV (tripping) 1:06; Barr, RGV (slashing) 4:22.

Power-play opportunities: Texas: 0 of 4; RGV: 1 of 3.  

Shots — Texas: 9-12-16--37; RGV: 6-10-2--18.  

Goalies — Texas: Steve Silverthorn 6-8-5 (18 shots, 15 saves);  RGV: Wylie Rogers 6-3-4 (37 shots, 35 saves).

A — 3,806  T — 2:21

Referee — Peter Tarnaris Linesmen —  Brad Duncan, Aaron Chockla