Austin, MN – For the third season in a row the Minotauros have stolen home ice advantage from the Austin Bruins. Now the Tauros will look to push their series lead to 2-0 in Game 2 tonight in Austin. The Tauros got out to a 3-0 lead and eventually held on to win 3-2.
John Snodgrass (3g 1a) opened the scoring late in the first period when he push a rebound past Jake Kielly. Nate Pionk (0g 2a) created the initial scoring opportunity when he drove down the right wing side and put the puck on net. Snodgrass found the rebound and beat Kielly to put the Tauros ahead after the first 20 minutes.
Early in the second James Mathias (2g 4a) redirected a pass from Jake Howie (1g 1a) on the rush to push the lead to 2-0. Snodgrass then got his second of the game again converting a feed from Pionk who while coming out from behind the net found Snodgrass standing at the back post for a tap in.
The Tauros continued to carry the play until the middle portion of the period when Derek Olmschenk (1g 1a) tucked a rebound in past Atte Tolvanen with the Bruins on the power play. Then less than a minute into the third, with the teams skating four on four, John Wilkins (1g 2a) picked up a loose puck in the Bruins’ zone and lead a two-on-one into the Tauros zone and fired a shot past Tolvanen. That was as close as the Bruins would get however as Tolvanen made 12 saves in the final frame to secure the win.
Now the Tauros turn their attention to Game 2 on Saturday night. A win would extend the Tauros lead to 2-0 in the best of five Central Finals. After this weekend’s games in Austin the teams will return to the Magic City for Game 3 and potentially 4 in Minot next Friday and Saturday nights.
Just like Game 1, the Tauros will be hosting a Road Watch Party at the Maysa Arena for Game 2 of the series. The party is free to attend and the game will be shown on a projector screen thanks to The Computer Store of Minot. Doors open at 6:30, and both the Maysa concessions and Trophy Room Bar will be open to Tauros fans. Fans who can not attend the Maysa can watch online at fasthockey.com or listen in Minot on 1390 KRRZ.