by: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
The Minotauros head to Minnesota to play yet another out of division game as they take on the expansion Wilderness in Cloquet. While the Wilderness are playing their first season in the NAHL, they are not a first year team. Last season the Wilderness were in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), where they won the league title and qualified for Royal Bank Cup the Canadian Junior A championship. Now playing their first NAHL season the Wilderness are off to a strong start, going 5-2-3.
The Tauros have struggled to find the back of the net early on the season scoring just 16 goals through the first 10 games. Seven of those goal have come off the sticks of Tim Donohue (4) and Jadin Martin (3). The Tauros have not been able to find consistent secondary scoring yet this season, with only six other players scoring goals. Bradon Wildung and Merrick Madsen have split time in the Tauros crease so far with matching 2.69 GAAs.
The Wilderness are lead in goal scoring by former Bismarck Bobcat Jono May, who has five goals on the season. Jakob Romo has two goals and seven assists to help fuel Minnesota offense as well. In net, Kasimir Kaskisuo has played seven of Minnesota’s 10 games. Kaskisuo has a 1.12 GAA and .956 SV%, his back-up Frank Oplinger is certainly not a slouch in his own right with a .941 SV% and 1.95 GAA.
Both Friday and Saturday night’s games start at 7:05 p.m. and can be seen on fasthockey.com. Friday night will be the first of the Minotauros Buffalo Wings and Rings Road Watch Parties. Tickets to the party include all you can eat wings and all you can drink soda or beer and can be purchased by clicking here or under the tickets tab atop this page.