MINOT, ND – The Minot Minotauros have been unstoppable in the postseason so far, as they secured a comfortable 6-2 win over the Bismarck Bobcats on Saturday. With this victory, they have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the Central Division Finals.
Minot jumped ahead 1-0 8:47 into the opening frame when Will Dawson set up Cayden Casey, who was parked in front of the Bobcat’s net. Trevor Stachowiak provided the secondary assist. The Tauros would continue to pepper Bobcats goalie, Klayton Knapp, scoring again with 4:07 left in the first. Nicholas Sewecke was responsible for the tally, grabbing a rebound off an offensive zone faceoff shot and then scoring on Knapp. John Emmons and Stachowiak were credited with the helpers. Minot soon made it 3-0 before heading into the first intermission. Casey notched his second goal of the contest off a beautiful Weston Knox feed.
Bismarck cut the lead to 3-1 with 8:18 left in the middle period as Bobcats forward Kyle Doll scored on a deflection off a Chase Beacom shot from the point. However, with 32 seconds left, the Tauros restored their three-goal lead as Sewecke scored shorthanded on a breakaway sniping top corner on Knapp for his second goal. Colby Woogk and Pavol Funtek collected the assists on the tally. Before the second period concluded, Minot would go up by 5-1. Niklas Ketonen recorded his fourth goal of the postseason, with Jack O’Hanisian and Jordan Gibbs logging the assists.
16:04 left in regulation, Sewecke scored again for the Hat Trick, with Casey dishing out the assist for his third point of the evening. Bismarck got one back with six minutes left, making it 6-2. However, the Bobcats were unable to get on the scoreboard again, resulting in Minot picking a huge Game 2 victory.
Up next, the Tauros head to Bismarck on Friday for Game 3 at the VFW Sports Center with a chance to close out the Central Division Finals,