By: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Box Score (11/9/12) Highlights (11/9/12)
Austin, MN – The week may not have started the way the Minotauros wanted, but the weekend sure did. On Monday the team learned that the injury captain Tim Donohue sustained last Friday night in Fresno would lead to him missing at least three weeks. Then point-per-game defenseman Travis Maxwell left the team for the BCHL. The Tauros continued on undeterred however, becoming the first team to go to Austin and take two points.
The Tauros did not wait long to make a statement. Wesley Iverson gave the Tauros the lead just 1:18 into the first period when he scored on a feed from Jake O’Borsky. The Bruins tied the game at one on the powerplay at the 14:13 mark but O’Borsky answered just over two minutes later with help from Steven Sherman. O’Borksy’s goal put the Tauros ahead 2-1 after one.
Then in the middle of the second the Bruins again tied the game with a special teams goal this time shorthanded at 9:19. Just as the first time Austin tied it up, O’Borsky quickly answered to give the Tauros the lead again this time on the powerplay at 9:54. Brandon Wahlin, the Bruins leading scorer tied the game at three at 13:40.
The Tauros once again took the lead this time in the third. Cody Milligan gave the Tauros a 4-3 lead at 6:49, with help from Chance Creger. Unfortunately for the Tauros the lead was short lived as just 0:21 later Jay Dickman tied the game at four. From there the goalies held strong, Tyler Parks stopped 33 of 37 in regulation and overtime, and Nicholas Lehr made 23 saves to send the game to a shootout.
The teams matched each other miss for miss and goal for goal through the first five rounds of the shootout. Milligan and Matt Audette scored in rounds three and four respectively. Then in the sixth round Parks stopped Riley Colvard and Sherman scored to give the Tauros the win.
Three Stars:
1st Star: Jake O’Borsky: 2 goals, 1 assist
2nd Star: Tyler Parks: 33 saves, 4/6 stops in the shootout
3rd Star: Steven Sherman: 1 assist, shootout gwg
Next Up: The Tauros head to Brookings to take on the Blizzard, ironically as Minot, ND is projected to be in the mist of a blizzard. It will be the teams’ second meeting of the season, the Blizzard took the first meeting 3-1. Parks stopped 27 of 30 in that meeting while Nick Deery made 24 saves to get the win. Thomas Williams who scored a shorthanded goal late in that meeting to lock the game away leads the Blizzard with 22 points (14g 8a) over 16 games. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. at the Larson Ice Center.
Thank You: to all of the fans who attended our road watch party at Wings and Rings. Despite the technical difficulties on Austin’s end we had a blast spending the evening with you following the Tauros’ win. Our next road watch is December 8th, we hope to see you all there.