Austin Packers boys’ hockey team falls to Rochester Century 10-2 Thursday night

Joey Malugani scored four goals and Gavin Gunderson added two goals and four assists as the Rochester Century Panthers remained in first place in the Big 9 Conference with a 10-2 win over the Austin Packers at Riverside Arena Thursday night.

In a first period that saw seven goals scored between the two teams, Malugani’s goals at :33 and 2:27 gave the Panthers a quick 2-0 lead before Blaine Krueger scored on the power play for the Packers with an assist to Nick Dunlap at 4:52 to cut Century’s lead to 2-1.  Owen McDonald tallied for Century at 6:57 to give the Panthers another two-goal lead at 3-1, but Austin again shaved the lead to one goal when Bubba Grunwald scored at 13:21 with an assist to Nick Dunlap to cut Century’s lead to 3-2.  Two late goals, though, by Malugani and Lyncoln Bielenberg -Howarth :52 apart at 13:51 and 14:43 boosted Century’s lead to 5-2 after one.

The Panthers added four goals in the second period to break the game open, and a short-handed goal only :26 into the 3rd period by Century’s Aidan Swee made the final 10-2.

Brayden Klapperick was in goal for Austin and made 36 saves in facing 46 shots,while Tim Pundt turned aside 17 of the 19 shots he faced to earn the win for Century.  Austin is now 0-9 in the Big 9 Conference and 1-14 overall on the season.  The Packers will wrap up a four-game homestand next Tuesday night at Riverside Arena against Rochester John Marshall, with an earlier face-off at 5:00 p.m.