The Bulls had been getting off to slow starts in the first two games of their opening round playoff series against the Minnesota Flying Aces. North Iowa seemed to start the game with a little more urgency in their game, even though they were the team in the driver's seat of the series with the 2-0 lead. A couple quick chances off the opening puck drop and into the first few minutes proved to be fruitless, but the Bulls hung with it and Tim Santopoalo was rewarded with a goal 12:42 into the opening frame. The teams would trade a few chances, but nothing to really scare either goalie, and the Bulls seemed content in taking a 1-0 lead to the dressing room.
The middle frame, as has been the case with the Bulls the past little while, was when they really started to turn up the heat on the Aces. The Aces took a too many men penalty less than a minute into the second period, and Kyle Krueger made them pay with the first of his three goals on the evening. This put the Bulls up 2-0 and when Krueger added his second of the game just a few minutes later, you had the feeling the series was coming to a close. Minnesota would not go quietly, however, and made Bartels earn his shutout with a few key saves late in the second period.
Coach Sanden must have made the boys aware that the game required the third period and the Bulls came out and proved without a doubt, that the series would end on this night. Krueger completed his hat-trick first to put the Bulls up 4-0, and when Fosdick and Captain Kroska added tallies minutes later, the series was all but over. Bartels wrapped up his shutout, making 22 stops on the evening. With the win, the Bulls sweep the series 3-0 and move on to the Silver Cup Championship next week in Geneva, Illinois.
Please stay tuned to the website, Facebook, and Twitter pages for full details on the NA3HL Silver Cup Championship which begins on Wednesday, March 27th at the Fox Valley Ice Arena. Go Bulls!
