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NAHL Minot Minotauros

Minotauros Earn Split with Norsemen

January 31, 2021 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minot Minotauros News Release


by Ken Oda

Minot, ND - The Minotauros broke through with their first win of 2021 to bounce back from a Friday night loss to the St. Cloud Norsemen to earn a split on the weekend. The Tauros January was certainly different than expected when Covid restrictions forced the NAHL to redo the remained of the 2010-21 schedule at the start of the month. The result was the Tauros getting three of the five weekends in the month off and playing just five games.

Friday night (box score) the Tauros fell behind early when Ryan O'Neill scored just 41 seconds into the game. The goal on the game's first shift would hold up until the middle of the third when Tyler Kostelecky, scored his second in as many games since joining the Tauros. Just 14 seconds later however Chase Freiermuth restored the St. Cloud lead and late in the game Ben Helgeson added an empty netter for a 3-1 win.

On Saturday (box score) Cade Stibbe would get the Tauros the lead when he opened the scoring midway through the second period. The goal came on a four-on-one rush in which Kostelecky found Stibbe with a cross ice pass that he then fired into the goal. While not credited with a point on the play Brett Roloson helped create the goal driving the net and taking away Norsemen goalie Paxton Geisel's vision. Helgeson's second goal of the weekend, this time on the power play, would draw the Norsemen even however and the game would head to the third a 1-1 draw. Just 52 seconds into the period Kaiden Scott scored his fifth of the season on a two-on-one rush with Jay Buchholz to restore the Tauro lead. The Norsemen would tie the game again after Max Johnson fired one through traffic and by Keenan Rancier off of a faceoff. With just 2:03 remaining however Ethan Schmunk scored the eventual game winner; the goal his first as a Tauro. Buchholz would add an empty netter to send the Tauros fans home happy.

Next up the Tauros play the Kenai River Brown Bears on the Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena. Due to a quirk created by Covid restrictions the Minotauros will actually be considered the away team for the games as Kenai (and Fairbanks) have been unable to play at home in Alaska so far this year. Despite Kenai River technically being the home team next weekend tickets for next weekend's games are included in Minotauros Season Ticket Packages and individual game tickets will still be sold at the Minotauros price of $8.00.

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