by: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Minot, ND – After a long trip to Wenatchee last weekend the Tauros are happy to be playing at home again. Just 1-4-1 away from the Maysa the Tauros look to get back to the level of play that saw them hand the Austin Bruins their only loss of the season two weeks ago in Minot. The Aberdeen Wings come to the Magic City for the first time this season, the Tauros won three of the four meetings between the two clubs at the Maysa last season.
Chad Catt and Henry Dill have lead the way for the 5-2-1 Wings combining for a NAHL second best 2.00 GAA. The duo has split time, with Dill getting the last two Friday games and Catt the Saturday match-ups. Catt’s .962 SV% and 1.17 GAA are both tops in the league for goaltenders early in the season. On offense the Wings get most of their production from the blue line. Dillon Eichstadt has 11 assists not just to lead the Wings in scoring but also all NAHL defensemen. Jake Horton another d-man leads the Wings in goals with five, which like Eichstadt is tops among NAHL defenders. Erik Baskin’s four goals, and Bjorn Sigurdarson’s nine assists are best among Wings forwards.
For the Tauros, goals have come from the two players that have been in Minot from the start; Tim Donohue (four) and Jadin Martin (three). Jack Forbort along defensemen Scott Dornbrock and Michael Bigelbach; lead the team with three assists apiece. In net for the Tauros Brandon Wildung and Merrick Madsen have split time since Madsen’s arrival after the Showcase. While Wildung has the better SV% at .913 to Madsen’s .904; Madsen has the better GAA 2.53 to 2.80.
Both games drop the puck at 7:35, tickets are still available by clicking on the “tickets” tab atop this page. Saturday night during the first intermission there will be another season ticket holder draw for two seats on the v.i.p. trip to Winnipeg to watch the Jets and Flames from a luxury box. To get your season tickets and have a chance to win the tip click here.