by: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Blaine, MN – The Minotauros finished the NAHL Showcase with a statement victory putting together their most complete effort of the season. Two quick goals in the first gave the Tauros an early lead then an offensive explosion in the third iced the win away.
Troy Degler opened the scoring redirecting a shot from the point by Max Mettler for his first goal of the season. Working behind the net 3:30 after he gave the Tauros the lead Degler set up Zack Bross alone in front of the Corpus Christi net to double the lead. The two goals came during a stretch of play which saw the Tauros out-shoot the Ice Rays 12-1 over the final 16 minutes of the first period.
The second period passed without any goals leaving the Tauros ahead 2-0 entering the final frame. 5:07 into the third Johnny Walker finished a nice passing play from Austin Martinsen who took a pass from Tyler Jeanson in the neutral zone and sped wide into attacking zone before finding Walker alone at the back post for a tap in. The Tauros iced the game away when Walker got his second of the game at 16:31 and Chase Springman scored just 0:26 later to make it 5-0 Tauros.
The lopsided score lead to tempers flaring on the Corpus Christi bench and at 17:45 C.J. Valerian cross checked Chase Di Bari after he had been knocked down along the boards. Cameron McClure came to his teammate’s defense and a scrum ensued. After the chaos was over Valerian, McClure, and Corpus Christi’s Carter Johnson were given 10 minute misconducts. Then with 6.5 seconds remaining Adam Canepa put a rebound past Jon Flakne on the rush to end the shutout.
The win moved the Tauros into a tie for first place with the Brookings Blizzard. Next up for the Minotauros is a single road game in Bismarck before returning home the weekend of October 9th and 10th to host the Brookings Blizzard for the first home games of the regular season.