Tennessee native has found a comfort zone on the ice in Austin

In the past, the Bruins have traditionally signed three-year leases, but this one was a bit more complex than any the team and city had agreed to over the 15-plus years the franchise has been in Austin.

The new agreement takes effect on June 1 and runs into 2031.

"This agreement is an important step forward for our organization and our community," Bruins owner Brian Raduenz said in a statement on April 7, the day after the agreement was approved. "We are proud to continue our partnership with the City of Austin and are committed to positioning Riverside Arena for the future."

As part of the agreement, the Bruins will put an average of at least $22,000 per year — at least $110,000 over the five years — toward improvements at the 54-year-old Riverside Arena. In turn, the team will receive a 25% lease reduction, or approximately $75,000 over the life of the lease.

The Bruins and the Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry department will work together once the season is done to determine which projects are most pressing.

Bruins head coach and GM Steve Howard credited Parks, Rec and Forestry director Jason Sehon, and City Administrator Craig Clark for working closely with the team to make the new agreement a reality.

"I think it was three, maybe four months, that we spent on it, just trying to make sure we did everything right — crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's," Howard said. "Jason and Craig ... they were great to work with. We're really excited for some improvements around the arena, trying to make things a little more fan friendly, too."

Watertown has not been an easy opponent for any team to face this season. The fourth-seeded Shamrocks were the only Central Division team to hold a winning record against Austin during the regular season (5-3-0) and they played the top-seeded Bruins to a pair of one-goal games in Games 1 and 2 of the division semifinals last weekend in Austin.

With tonight's Game 3, and if needed Saturday's Game 4, set for 7 p.m. starts at Prairie Lakes Ice Arena in Waterown, the Bruins are aware that they will have to be sharp from the get-go if they want to avoid a winner-takes-all Game 5 on Monday in Austin. That game would start at 7:05, if needed.

"They do a great job over there; they're first-class," Howard said. "The arena is nice, and they pack it. There's a reason Watertown was the (NAHL) Organization of the Year last year."

Austin hasn't played in Watertown in three and a half months, since the Shamrocks swept a two-game regular-season series by identical 3-2 scores on Jan. 9-10.

"We just have to go play our game," Howard said, "and our guys have to get up for this. The hardest one to get is usually the one that puts a team away, that ends their season, right? ... When teams are playing for their lives, they're not going to quit. They're going to play desperate hockey, but we have to go there with the intentions of coming back with a sweep."