The Austin Bruins couldn’t hold onto a third period lead as they lost 6-3 to Janesville (16-7-1 overall) in Riverside Arena Wednesday.

The Jets scored four goals in a five-minute spurt in the third period to take the lead for good and put the game away. Austin had taken a lead with a strong start in the third period when it killed a 5-on-3 Janesville power play and JC Maclean and Ian Scheid each scored in a two-minute spurt to put Austin (10-7-7 overall) up 3-2.

“We got the lead and then shortly after we got the lead we kind of sat on it like ‘now we’re OK, because we got back in the game,'” Austin head coach Chris Tok said. “We had a chance to stick the dagger in them and we didn’t do it. We let them drift around and they’re a good hockey team. They came back and beat us.”

The Bruins are still looking to find that edge in close games as their young roster is adjusting to the NAHL game. Austin has now lost four straight games.

“There’s something missing,” Tok said. “It’s not like we we’re winning every game. We’re trying to get out of a slump and we’ve got to pay the price every shift. You don’t know which shift is going to define the game, whether it’s a positive or a negative.”

Austin goalie Jake Kielly had 21 saves in the loss.

SCORING SUMMARY

Janesville 0 2 4 — 6

Austin 1 0 2 — 3

First period

(A) Tony Uglem (power play) (Luke Dietsch) 6:04

Second period

(J) Evan Feno (Zach Lavalle) 6:55

(J) Brandon Schultz 7:21

Third period

(A) JC Maclean (Brian Bachnak) 1:34

(A) Ian Scheid (power play) 3:16

(J) Zach Yoder (Evan Feno) 12:35

(J) Feno (Brandon Schultz) 12:59

(J) Adam Winborg (power play) (Zach Lavalle, Schultz) 14:07

(J) Winborg (power play) (Dan Kucerovy, Kip Hoffman) 16:43

Shots: Austin — 24; Janesville — 27

Power plays: Austin — 2-for-7; Janesville — 2-for-11