
Weekend Recap January 3-4
January 4, 2025 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minot Minotauros News Release
The North Iowa Bulls made their first trip of the season up to the Magic City to take on the Tauros in just the second-weekend series between the two teams this season. This weekend's series marked the first time the two teams squared off since mid-October as the Tauros opened the 2025 calendar year at home on the Pepsi Rink.
The last time the two teams met, it was the Tauros besting the Bulls, sweeping the weekend series and outscoring North Iowa 13-6 through those two games in Mason City.
Entering the Friday night contest, the Tauros were looking to build on perhaps their best win on the season so far on Tuesday night as they defeated the league-leading Bismarck Bobcats 6-1 on the road in a New Year's Eve tilt.
It was the Bulls striking first on Friday night to take an early 1-0 lead on a goal from Parker Osborn just over two minutes into the action.
That lead would not last long though as the Tauros responded swiftly just under four minutes later in the first period.
The Tauros' first goal of the game, and their first goal of 2025, would come off the stick of Gavin Middendorf as the score drew even at one apiece. That goal for Middendorf marked his second in a Tauros jersey in just his second Tauros game.
Ice maintenance issues would provide much of a stop-and-go pace to the second period as the Tauros outshot the Bulls 9 to 6 with no goals coming from either party in the second stanza.
It wouldn't be until 16:11 into the third period that the puck would hit the back of the net again. That goal would come by way of Ty James as the Tauros would jump out to a 2-1 lead injecting some life into Maysa Arena with just minutes to go in regulation.
The Bulls would respond just under two minutes later to pull back even with the Tauros as Denis Hodas notched his eighth goal of the year on a game-tying goal with just 1:53 to play in the final period.
As the final few seconds ticked off the clock, the Bulls found themselves celebrating a game-winner with just 0.3 seconds remaining in the game. This goal would come credit to Fuji Suzuki as the Bulls found the win column against the Tauros for just the first time since March 25th, 2023.
It was Jack Hirshorn getting the win in net in the Friday night contest allowing just a single goal on 30 shots faced. The other Tauro goal in the game came on a goal scored past Kyle Ozgun. With the win, Hirshorn's record improved to 6-7 on the season.
Friday night proved to be a late-night duel, with the final horn sounding just before 11 PM local time, setting up both teams for a quick turnaround for the Saturday series finale on the Pepsi Rink.
Saturday night once again provided a tight contest between the Tauros and Bulls with the game again being decided in the final 20 minutes.
The series finale started out in a very similar fashion with both teams finding the back of the net in the first period.
Once again, it was North Iowa jumping out to an early advantage over the Tauros off a goal this time from Evan Johnson just 12:13 into the first frame.
The Tauros would respond, however, before the break as Jesse Juhola hammered home a rebounded shot into nylon for his 14th marker of the year to even the score a one apiece as both teams arrived at the first intermission.
The second-period scoring would pick up just over 15 minutes into the frame as North Iowa restored their lead on a goal from Sangyeob Kim off assists from Cole Wirun and Jack Seaverson giving them a 2-1 lead.
Minutes later, it was Ian Spencer using his speed to force a breakaway down the ice shorthanded on the penalty kill giving him space to fire one past Jack Hirshorn to knot the score up 2-2 good for his 13th goal of the season.
That score would hold up as the game hit the second intermission with the Tauros comfortably outshooting the Bulls 39-23 through 40 minutes of play.
The third period started off with Adam Mahler quickly grabbing the Tauros' first lead of the night just 2:55 into the period making it 3-2. Mahler's goal marked his 11th on the season and also made him just the 30th defenseman in NAHL history to score 25 career goals.
Nearly ten minutes later it was Parker Newman tacking on a goal on his first in a Tauros' uniform to make it 4-2 givingthe Tauros some insurance with eight minutes to play in regulation.
The Bulls wouldn't go down without a fight though as their leading point-getter Cole Wirun would cut into the Tauro lead making it 4-3 on his ninth goal of the season.
It was Gavin Middendorf firing in an empty netter to put the icing on the cake on his third goal in three games in a Tauros' jersey in what would clinch the Tauros a 5-3 victory over the Bulls for Minot's 21st win on the year.
Lukas Swedin would get the win in between the pipes for the Tauros saving 33 of 36 shots faced as his record improved to 14-7 on the season as the Tauros moved to 21-9-1.
Next up, the Tauros will hit the road, making their second trip of the season down to St. Cloud to take on the Norsemen in a two-game weekend set, following that the Tauros will make the trip down to Aberdeen before rounding out the month of January at home on the 24th & 25th taking on the Watertown Shamrocks.
As always, all games can be viewed live on NATV with a free live audio broadcast available on the Tauros' Facebook and YouTube pages. Tickets for all Tauros' home games are available via the Tauros online ticketing site.
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