Recap 2-7-21
Minot, ND – The Minotauros got back on track this weekend with a sweep of the Kenai River Brown Bears on the Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena. The Minotauros were technically the away team this weekend as the Brown Bears have been forced from their home in Alaska by Covid restrictions but the Tauros took advantage of the home treatment to take a pair of 4-2 victories.
On Friday night (box score) the Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead with special team dominance early. Daymin Dodge opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 10:19 in and Peter Morgan doubled the lead with a power play marker at 16:48. The Tauros came roaring back in the second however Tyler Kostelecky got the Tauros on the board 2:27 in on a nice play out of the corner by Cade Stibbe. Kostelecky scored his second of the night on a wrap around after Ryan Petersen passed it to him behind the net. Then after a pair of penalties were called setting up a four-on-four situation the Tauros Jay Buchholz won a faceoff forward and hit Kaiden Scott cutting to the net who then snapped in the Tauros third of the period to make it 3-2 Minot. Brett Roloson would add an empty netter for the Tauros to get a 4-2 win.
On Saturday (box score) the Tauros would once again fall into an 0-2 hole as Morgan Winters got behind the Tauro defense on the rush and beat Keenan Rancier and then Brandon Lajoie scored another shorthanded goal. Once again the Tauros would fight back however. Gabe Temple banked a shot in off of a defender on the same power play as Lajoie’s shorty to get the Tauros back in it before the first break. Then the future Arizona State Sun Devil connection struck again this time with Stibbe tapping home a Kostelecky pass on the rush to tie the game. Exactly one minute later the Tauros took the lead again with Damon Zimmer netting his team leading eighth of the year. Scott got his second of the weekend on the power play in the middle of the third to give the Tauros some breathing room.
Next up the Tauros host the Minnesota Wilderness on Dakota Agronomy Agriculture Appreciation Weekend. Saturday’s game will have a live performance from country music’s Braden Baugh. Tickets are still just $8 and are available online through the “Tickets” tab atop this page or by clicking here.