Blaine, MN – The Minotauros dropped the season opener 7-3 today to the Oklahoma Warriors on the first day of the NAHL Showcase. With 11 new faces in the lineup from the end of the season facing the veteran Warriors was going to be a challenge. Oklahoma had 16 players returning from last season’s team and their chemistry was evident from the start.
Despite that the Tauros took a 1-0 lead as Owen Hanson scored his first of the season with assists from Weston Knox and goaltender Carl Lidö. The goal came on the power play after Lidö sent a long feed ahead to Knox on the near side and Knox sent another cross ice pass to Hanson in front of the benches. Hanson skated in and beat goaltender Daniel Duris to his glove side. Hunter Allen evened the game just 28 seconds later however and the teams went to their locker rooms even at 1-1.
The second period belonged to Oklahoma as they rattled off three goals in just 5:41 of game time in the first half of the period. Brendan Williams on the power play, Joey Delgreco at even strength, and Hunter Jones shorthanded each tallied to give the Warriors a 4-1 lead heading into the final frame.
The Tauros tried to push back in the third with Nick O’Hanisain scoring on the rush finishing a feed from Knox for a tap-in. But again the Warriors would answer quickly with William Lawson-Body restoring the three goal lead just 42 seconds after I’Hnaisain’s goal. Nick Sewecke then again tried to spark a comeback beating Duris just under the crossbar but the Warriors would eventually strike twice more to push their lead out of reach.
Next up the Tauros take on the Danbury Hat Tricks who fell 6-0 to Kenai River today. The Hat Tricks already have three games under their belt this season as they split with Johnstown last weekend at home winning 2-1 before dropping Saturday’s contest 2-0. The Tauros have never met the Hat Tricks before but were 1-0 against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights prior to their move to Danbury. The Tauros beat the Knights 2-1 on Day Three of the 2016 NAHL Showcase on their way to a 4-0-0 record and Showcase Championship.
Due to connectivity issues at the National Sports Center Super Rink there will be no Facebook Live feed of the Tauros remaining games in Blaine. Free audio will continue to be available on the Tauros website under the “Listen Live” tab, on Mixlr, or in the Tauros Hockey App.