AUSTIN, Texas (AP)- The Pond Hockey Club. For the third time in four seasons, the Bros will advance to the championship game. Last night’s semi-final game between the Bros and Golden Thrashers was a rematch of the previous season’s championship game in which the Bros won in a shootout after a scoreless sudden death overtime. The fourth seeded Bros were in the driver’s seat the entire game last night, defeating the top-seeded Golden Thrashers squad 5-1.

Neither team saw quality shots on goal for the first period until Kyle “Wild Bro Side” McIntosh scored with a nifty short side wristy with the assistance of Nick “Bros, Bros, Bros” Leggett and Bert “Dancing On Glass, Bro” Bischof to put the Bros up 1-0 with eleven second remaining in the first.

Chris “Bad Bro Boogie” Beard started the second period off with a goal to add some distance between the Bro Train and Thrashers, but the Bro Train was bound for glory last night and was on wide open throttle. Steve “Nona Brona” Czerniak tallied his first of four points in the match on that Beard goal before sending a rebounded puck into the netted oblivion to put the Boys in Black up 3-0. The Golden Thrashers did get a goal on their first shift off the ensuing center-ice face off to bring them within two, but the Bros relentlessly dominated the remaining minutes of the second and throughout the third period.

Czerniak has found his niche with the Bros, and sent another puck into its chilled eternally webbed slumber with a beautiful bar down wrist shot off a rebound from Kevin “Five Years Bro” Gifford’s shot set up by Noah “All In The Name Of…Bro” Leggett. Gifford would later score the Bros fifth and final goal set up by Czerniak and captain Andrew “Sumthin’ for Nuthin’ Bro” Feigenbaum to give the Bros a dominating 5-1 lead.

Although the Bros scored five goals in the matchup, their defense gave the offense the ability to open up. Backup goaltender Josh “You’re All Bros Need” Mantooth played a stellar game in the place of Chris Luscombe. With a supporting cast of the Leggett Brothers, Ross “Jailhouse Rock Bro” Tagtow, and Feigenbaum, the Bros prevented the Golden Thrashers from generating quality looks on Mantooth. Outstanding efforts from Beard and Fabian “Brodeo” Figi vaporized any attempts for shots down the middle slots, and intelligent play from Travis “Kickstart My Bro Heart” Considine and helped generate solid breakouts off the backcheck.

Four his two goal, four point efforts, Czerniak was awarded the team’s coveted Gonzales Flag. Mantooth, who stopped 23 of 24 shots faced, took home the team’s second star. Pierre McGuire talked to Czerniak after the game about looking ahead to the championship game. “Well Pierre, we just have to focus on scoring more goals than our opponent and this team is playing really good hockey right now and playing well together. We’re excited to be playing in the championship and we’re going to do all we can to win.”

The Bros will play Burt’s Reynolds for the championship next week at 9:50pm at the Barn in what surely will be a barn burner.

GAME NOTES

-Scott Van Pelt did not play as he’s officially on extended paternity duty. The latest 3D ultrasound demonstrated that Lil’ Veep’s playoff beard is in fact better than his father’s.

–Chris Luscombe did not play due because of an extended work trip. Contract negotiations for next season will include a full-time clause for the Bros.

BY THE NUMBERS

21- goals scored by the Bros in their past 4 games;

4- goals allowed by the Bros in their past 4 games;

3- number of times in 4 seasons the Bros will be playing for the championship.