BISMARCK, ND – Game Three between the Minot Minotauros and the Bismarck Bobcats was a game of firsts for the Tauros’ playoff campaign, all in the wrong ways. The Tauros trailed for the first time all series, had their biggest deficit of the playoffs, and suffered their first defeat, 4-3 in overtime.
With just over six minutes gone in the extra frame, Kyle Doll deflected a shot off the faceoff by Brady James for the game-winning goal. At one point during the game, it didn’t even feel like the Bobcats were going to need overtime to put the Tauros away.
The game started much the way the Tauros’ games have started throughout the playoffs. WIth 10:34 gone in the first, Adam Mahler capped off an offensive zone chance he started by pouncing on a rebound and firing it past Bobcats goalie Klayton Knapp. Mahler had started the chance by carrying the puck into the zone on the right wing before finding Jack O’Hanisain just to his left. O’Hanisain got the puck to Joel Lehtinen in the slot, and it was Lehtinen’s shot Knapp kicked off to his right that Mahler buried.
The Tauros were able to hold the lead to head into the first intermission while narrowly outshooting the Bobcats 11-9. The lead would not last long into the second, however.
Just 33 seconds into the second period, Julian Beaumont knotted the game up for the hosts. It kicked off about as nightmarish a stretch possible for the Tauros.
At the 2:30 mark, Cayden Casey was sent to the box for charging into Knapp after losing an edge. It took just over a minute for the Bobcats to take their first lead of the series. Jakub Kopecky was able to jam home a loose puck during a goal-mouth scramble in front of Brady James.
Then with 5:45 gone in the second, the Tauros found themselves in unfamiliar territory, trailing by two goals. Nick Baer found a loose puck on the rebound and swept it home.
The Tauros spent the first nearly six minutes of the second period looking on their heels and completely taken aback. That all changed after Baer’s goal. It was as if the Tauros found their legs for the first time in the period.
It took the Tauros only 1:10 after Baer found the net to cut the deficit to one goal. The Tauros’ Cayden Casey won a faceoff to Knapp’s left and pulled it to Murray Marvin-Cordes. With no hesitation, Marvin-Cordes uncorked a rocket that Knapp had no chance on.
Then at the 13:52 mark, the Tauros tied the game on the power play. Cayden Casey was credited with the goal after his shot bounced around and the puck found its way past Knapp. Immediately after the goal, there were some extracurricular activities involving Tamas Toth and Will Dawson. Both players were sent to the box for two minutes despite the appearance of Toth potentially taking a linesman to the ice.
Despite the terrible six minutes to start the period, the Tauros went into the second intermission tied at three with Bismarck. Both teams had put 23 shots on goal at that point.
The Tauros had a golden opportunity to take a late lead in the third when Mathieu Bourgault was called for high-sticking. The Tauros power play was short-lived, however, as Jack O’Hanisain broke his stick over a Bobcats player’s knee and was called for slashing.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the third despite both teams putting double-digit shots on net (11 for the Tauros, 10 for the Bobcats). That set up the fateful overtime period where the Bobcats put six shots on James, including the game-winner, versus only two for the Tauros.
Despite the setback, the Tauros still lead the series 2-1 and will have another shot to close it out Saturday night in Bismarck.