Weekend Preview 4-20-23

Apr 20, 2023

Minot, ND – For years it seemed that the Minotauros and Austin Bruins meeting in the Robertson Cup Playoffs was a forgone conclusion; as much a sign of spring as melting snow and birdsongs.  For four seasons in a row, 2013-16 the two would meet in the Playoffs and in each of those seasons the Bruins eliminated the Tauros from the postseason.  After a year’s hiatus the tradition renewed in 2018 and the Tauros finally prevailed sweeping the Bruins in the Division Finals to hoist the organization’s first Central Cup.  The teams have not battled in the postseason since; but after playing each other four games in a row to end the regular season they now stand poised to reignite the fires of this once great rivalry.

The best-of-five series kicks off tomorrow and Saturday with Games One and Two in Austin. Having just met each of the last two weekends there will not be many secrets between the teams. The Tauros took the first three of those meetings en route to clinching a playoff spot.

Chase LaPinta and Hunter Longhi each posted six goals against the Bruins this season to lead the team. Walter Zacher’s eight goals and 12 total points for Austin against the Tauros led all scorers in the season series.

In goal the Tauros tandem of Noah Rupprecht and Lawton Zacher have been lights out against the Bruins. Zacher posted a .938 SV% against Austin this year while Rupprecht was even better at .947%. The Bruins goaltending picture is complicated by injury with neither of the Bruins main goaltenders, Ethan Robertson and Trent Weimken, available to start the series.

As always fans will be able to tune into the games on the Minotauros Network.  The game can be watched on HockeyTV or fans can listen to free audio broadcasts on the Tauros Facebook page, Mixlr, gotauros.com, or in the Tauros Hockey App.  The Farmers Union Pregame show will start at 6:45 p.m., 20 minutes before puck drop.