Bullfrogs Take Two From Blades to Advance : Roller hockey: Anaheim ends three-game skid with 9-1 victory, then wins mini-game, 3-0. Round 2 starts Saturday at San Diego.

Just what intention Daniel Shank had when he skated near Blades defenseman Mike Butters midway through the second quarter Wednesday night at The Pond may never be known.

This is what is known: Shank took a stick to the jaw and the Bullfrogs are advancing to the second round of the Roller Hockey International playoffs.

Angered by the incident, the Bullfrogs broke open a 2-1 game by scoring seven consecutive goals for a 9-1 victory in the regulation game.

Then, with most of the announced crowd of 8,921 still in their seats, the Bullfrogs took the series with a 3-0 victory in the mini-game behind goals from Savo Mitrovic, Shank and Brad McCaughey.

“That was a huge turning point,” Bullfrog goaltender Rob Laurie said of the Shank-Butters confrontation. “We scored a couple of power play goals right away and it took the wind out of their sails.”

The Bullfrogs, who limped into the evening with several injured players and a three-game losing streak, scored on six of eight power-plays in regulation against the league’s No. 3 penalty-killing team.

The Bullfrogs used tight checking to bounce back from a 10-8 loss in Game 1 Sunday. They also did not take silly penalties. Through three quarters, the Blades had 15 shots.

Bullfrog goaltender Rob Laurie, making his fifth consecutive start, finished with 29 saves in regulation. The Bullfrogs helped the Blades get on the board with nine seconds remaining in the first quarter when Bullfrog Darren Perkins knocked an errant crossing pass from Blade Andy Akervik into the net.

“We wanted to concentrate on our one-on-one defense and take away their space,” Bullfrog Coach Grant Sonier said. “We wanted to win all the checks.”

The Bullfrogs play at San Diego Saturday in a second-round, best-of-two playoff series. The Barracudas upset Sacramento at the Arco Arena Wednesday night, taking the mini-game, 3-2, after falling, 7-5, in regulation.

The Blades had the Bullfrogs right where they wanted them halfway through the second quarter with the score tied, 1-1. The Bullfrog offense was struggling. The Blades, meanwhile, were content to stay back on defense.

Even Rick Judson’s power-play goal, which gave the Bullfrogs a 2-1 lead with 6:27 remaining, didn’t appear to get his team going.

But a minute later Shank fell to the floor after Butters high-sticked him in the jaw.

With Butters in the penalty box for three minutes, the Bullfrogs woke up.

Wetzel slapped in Perkins’ rebound for a 3-1 lead at the 5:06 mark. Gervais followed 21 seconds later with a 35-foot slap shot. B.J. McPherson added another score six seconds later and by the time Wetzel and Mark Ouimet took advantage of power plays, the Bullfrogs led, 7-1.