By: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Aberdeen, SD – The weekend did not start well for the Tauros but by the end it was nothing but smiles. The Aberdeen Wings scored the first two goals of the weekend but the Tauros rebounded to get the weekend sweep and push their winning streak to four games.
Friday night (full box) Jackson Graalum (6g 4a) scored 3:00 into the game on a net-mouth scramble and Matt Pulver (4g 6a) doubled the lead at 16:24 off of a one-timer. Derek Frentz (11g 14a) finally got the Tauros on the board late in the period when he won a race to the puck behind the net and banked it in off of Wings goaltender Peter Thome (9-12-6) to cut the score to 2-1 going into the first intermission. The second period passed scoreless but Steven Mather (4g 3a) drew the Tauros even with a goal on the rush early in the third. Austin Heakins (6g 6a) restored Aberdeen’s lead at 10:34 on a goal that Tauros goaltender Gunner Rivers (9-8-1) appeared to have covered until Heakins crashed into him; nonetheless the puck trickled over the goal line and the Tauros trailed 3-2. With Rivers on the bench for the extra attacker Christian Mohs (12g 21a) scored on a wraparound to draw the Tauros even and force overtime. Then 3:22 into the overtime Zack Bross (8g 14a) drove the right wing boards and found James LaDouce (6g 17a) on the back door for a tap-in game winner.
Saturday (full box) the teams played to a stalemate through the first twenty minutes. Austin Martinsen (14g 9a) gave the Tauros the lead 5:53 into the second period when he crashed the net put a rebound over Gavin Paczosa (4-6-1). The Tauros doubled the lead at 8:18 when Max Reisinger (8g 17a) tipped Chase Springman’s (10g 14a) shot in on a net-mouth scramble. The Tauros turned in a dominant third period as Jared Brandt (2g 15a) added an insurance goal 3:52 into the frame and the Tauros allowed just three shots on goal over the final 20 minutes to help Rivers record his second win as a Tauro in shutout fashion.
Next up for the Tauros is a return to the Maysa Arena for another weekend set with the Aberdeen Wings. Tickets for the weekend series are available by clicking the “Tickets” tab atop this page. Season tickets for the remaining 12 home games are still available and are prorated to just $115 for adult tickets and still include a reserved seat for the remaining games and playoffs.