By: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Brookings, SD – The Minotauros cruised to victory on Saturday night topping the Brookings Blizzard 6-2 carrying the play for most of the night. The win kept Minot two points ahead of Austin for the top spot in the Central Division and extended the Tauros’ point streak to four games.
Casey Johnson got the Tauros off to a quick start scoring just 1:49 into the game. For Johnson it was his fifth goal of the season lifting him into a tie for fourth among NAHL defenseman. Brookings stuck back however with goals from Tyler Frischmon and Joe Anderson to take a brief 2-1 lead. Johnny Walker drew the Tauros even however less than four minutes after Anderson had given the Blizzard the lead. Then with less than a minute to play in the period Troy Degler scored on the power play to give the Tauros a 3-2 lead headed into the break.
The second period belonged to Walker and the Tauros. The converted defenseman continues to impress at forward scoring two goals in the middle portion of the period to give him a hat trick for the night and the Tauros a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes. As the teams headed to the second intermission the Tauros held a 26-9 shot advantage over the Blizzard.
The Blizzard would press the play in the third, sending 11 shots towards Atte Tolvanen, but the Tauros’ goaltender stopped them all in picking up his 11th win on the season. Tim Athley picked up his fist goal of the season late in the third to push the final to 6-2.
Next up for the Tauros is another trip to Brookings. The Tauros will head back to the Larson Ice Center for a Thursday night game before returning home to the Maysa for a Saturday date with the Bismarck Bobcats.