New City Same Story

Sep 28, 2019

St. Cloud, MN – The Tauros dominated the Blizzard to the tune of a 40-11-5 record over their final five season in Brookings; the move to St. Cloud does not seemed to have helped the Blizzard as the Tauros took all four points on the weekend following 7-3 and 4-3 victories Friday and Saturday night.

Friday (box score) the Tauros opened the scoring early netting the first NAHL goal in St. Cloud when Kevin Ness scored his first of the season just 2:39 into the game.  A quick answer from Anthony Szurley and a late goal from former Tauro Ryan Green however gave the Blizzard a 2-1 edge going into the first intermission.

The Tauros erupted in the second period however, with offense coming from the blue line as it has often early this season.  A trio of players scored the first as Tauros, first of which was Hunter Bjorge who skated in from the blue line and beat Britt League clean to tie the game at two.  An Owen Baumgartner goal three minutes later and one from Jay Buchholz ten minutes after that had the Tauros ahead 4-2 heading into the third.

The Tauros poured it on in the third Cade Stibbe first as a Tauro pushed it to 5-2 and Ville Immonen’s third of the year made it 6-2 by the middle of the period.  Ryan O’Neil broke the run of Tauros goals late with a power play maker for St. Cloud but Cole O’Connell scored for the third game in a row to push the final to 7-3.

Aside from each scoring goals Baumgartner, Ness, and Stibbe each had two assists in the win as did Jack Westlund.  In total 12 Tauros found their way onto the scoresheet to support 18 saves from Ben Garrity in the win.

Saturday (box score) Ness again opened the scoring this time 4:29 into regulation with hard work in front of the net.   And just as the night before the Blizzard would strike twice to take a 2-1 lead, this time with a goal on each side of the first intermission.  On St. Cloud’s first goal Garrity was crashed into and not able to get to the puck as it trickled over the line.  Andranik Armstrong-Kingkade drew the Tauros even before the second horn with a power play goal that he batted in while falling to the ice.

Kyler Kleven restored the Tauro lead 48 seconds into the third and it appeared the 3-2 margin would hold.  With the Blizzard pressuring late to try to draw even Owen Belisle ran Garrity and was accessed a two-minute minor with 2:21 to play.  Armstrong-Kingkade answered with his second power play goal of the night 20 seconds later and it appeared the Tauros would cruise to victory.  However with just 1:25 to play Bud Winter scored on a one-timer on the rush and pulled the Blizzard back within one, but that was as close as the Tauros would allow them to get as they held on to win 4-3.

Next up for the Tauros is another road trip to Minnesota, this time to take on the struggling Minnesota Wilderness in Clouqet.  Both Friday and Saturday nights’ games are at 7:05.   Then the Tauros will finally return to the Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena for the home opener against the Aberdeen Wings on Octboer 11th to kick off a six game homestand.  Tickets for all six games are available through the “Tickets” tab atop this page.