Austin Packers boys hockey team falls to Faribault 6-2 Tuesday evening

The Austin Packers boys hockey team was looking to replicate a win from earlier in the season over Faribault Falcons Tuesday evening as the two Big 9 Conference rivals faced off at Riverside Arena, but it was Ethan Amundson and Nick Archambault each scoring a pair of goals to help lead the Falcons to a 6-2 win.

The Packers tried to stage a comback nearly halfway through the second period as down 4-0, Gavin Brekke scored at 10:53 of the period to cut the deficit to 4-1, with an assist to Grady Carney, and Trent Rubin’s even-strength, unassisted tally at 1:41 of the third period got the Packers as close as 4-2, but Falcon goaltender Dustin Boyd and the Faribault defense shut the door from there, and a shorthanded goal from Logan Peroutka at 3:36, with an assist to Archambault, and an empty-net goal from Amundson at 14:57 of the period made the final 6-2.

Faribault outshot Austin for the game by a total of 41-27, with Packer netminder Zane Thoma making 29 saves, and Boyd turned away 25 of the 27 shots he faced to earn the win in net.  The Packers were whistled for four penalties for eight minutes for the game, while Faribault was called for five penalties for 10 minutes, and both teams were scoreless on the power play.

Austin is now 3-11 overall on the season and 1-4 in the Big 9 Conference, and the Packers return to action at home Thursday night versus Big 9 Conference and Section 1A rival Winona, with puck drop at 7 pm.