By Jeremy Pike, minotauroshockey.com Minot, ND –
The Minot Minotauros dropped both games of their weekend matchup against the Austin Bruins after being shutout 3-0 Saturday night. The Tauros fell to 10-6-0-1 on the season, dropping four points Austin who now have the Central Division lead to themselves.
The story of Saturday night was special teams. Despite the Tauros outshooting Austin 42-28, the Bruins were perfect on special teams. Austin converted both of their power plays and killed off all four Tauros power plays.
Even Austin’s third goal came as a result of good special teams play. The Tauros pulled goalie Dane Couture for the extra attacker on the power play with under four minutes to go. Austin successfully killed off the penalty and Austin Salani came out of the box to pounce on a clearance for the empty netter.
It also helped that Trent Wiemken brought his ‘A’ game, stopping every single of the 42 shots he faced.
There was a controversial call early in the third period that may have changed the complexion of the game entirely. The Tauros had recovered from the first period where Austin carried the play and was able to make it 1-0 on a power play goal by Josh Giuliani. The Tauros were able to outshoot the visitors by a wide margin in the second, 18-7, and despite being unable to solve Wiemken, they appeared to be the better team 5-on-5.
Then less than two minutes into the third period, Colby Joseph appeared to tie the game after jamming a loose puck past Wiemken. The referee signaled a goal, the buzzer went, and the Tauros celebrated. Then a lengthy discussion ensued and the goal was waved off.
Less than six minutes later, Austin made it 2-0 on the power play thanks to James Goffredo. With Wiemken stopping everything and his defense preventing high-quality chances, Salani’s empty-net goal with just over a minute left in the third was the icing on the cake for the Bruins. They scored the final six goals of the weekend.
On Friday night, the Tauros staked themselves to a 3-0 lead after two periods before Austin stormed back with a three-goal third period before claiming the win in a nine-round shootout.
The game started about as well as it possibly could with Hunter Longhi scoring his team-leading seventh goal of the season just over six minutes into the game. Chase LaPinta notched his fifth assist of the season on the goal while Justin Dauphinais got his eighth with the secondary assist.
Then not quite 11 minutes later, Jan-Kasper Bergman got his first goal as a Tauros player on the power play with helpers from Weston Knox (his fifth) and Max Martin (sixth of the season.) The Tauros were comfortably in the lead after one and were outshooting Austin 11-8.
The second period saw another Tauros player score his first of the season with the team as David Nesburg scored just over six and a half minutes into the second with assists by Trevor Stachowiak (eighth) and Knox’s second of the game (his sixth of the season.)
However, the second was a sign of things to come as Austin outshot the Tauros 12-6 in the period. That dominance would only continue in the third.
It took only just over four minutes for Austin to net their first on a goal-mouth scramble that saw the puck bounce in off Ocean Wallace. Then not quite two minutes later, the puck was redirected behind goalie Lawton Zacher by Sam Christiano to make it 2-0 with 14 minutes to play.
The Tauros tried desperately to cling to their lead but Austin was in full control despite being down a goal. Then with just under four and a half remaining in the third, Ethan Lindahl tied to game. Austin dominated the third, outshooting the Tauros 23-6 in the period.
It was all Zacher and his teammates could do to hold on for overtime. The extra five minutes looked like the Tauros might be able to win it and outshot the visitors 5-1 but Ethan Robertson in net ensured it would go to the shootout.
The Tauros had two goals in the first four rounds from LaPinta and Joseph, but Austin was able to extend the shootout with back-to-back goals. Then both goalies stood on their heads until the Bruins’ ninth shooter. Lindahl, who had tied the game with less than five minutes, beat Zacher to secure the win for Austin.
Next up the Minotauros head on back to back road trips to Austin next weekend for a rematch with the Bruins followed by a weekend set in St. Cloud with the Norsemen. Then the Tauros return to North Dakota to take on the Bismarck Bobcats on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Finally the Tauros return home to the Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena to take on the Bobcats on Black Friday. The Tauros will be unveiling new alternate jerseys that game. Tickets are available through the “Tickets” tab atop this page or by clicking here.