Weekend Recap November 28-29
NAHL Minot Minotauros

Weekend Recap November 28-29

Published on November 29, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minot Minotauros News Release


After a midweek matchup on Thanksgiving eve in Bismarck against the Bobcats, the Tauros were back on home ice this weekend, squaring off against the Shamrocks to cap off a busy week as Minot was looking to get back into the win column.

The weekend series marked the second time the Tauros and Shamrocks would meet this season, being the first in the Magic City between the two teams.

The scoring would come in bunches on Friday night as both teams would combine for 11 goals through 60 minutes of play with a combined 63 shots on net.

It was Philip Wiklund getting the scoring started just six minutes into the opening period as he tapped home a loose puck in front of the Watertown net to give Minot the early 1-0 advantage.

Assisting on Wiklund's goal were Anthony Spadaro and Evan Foiles for Wiklund's third of the season.

Just over seven minutes later, Watertown would respond.

Edvins Berzins would find a wide-open Vincent Curasi on a backhanded feed off a rush into the offensive zone to beat Tauros' netminder Devin Rustlie to even the game at aces.

That would be all the scoring that the first period would offer as both teams arrived at the first intermission of the weekend knotted up at 1-1.

Through 20 minutes of play on the Pepsi Rink, the Shamrocks outshot the Tauros, 9-7.

Watertown would capitalize on a big second period that would result in them netting four unanswered goals in the middle frame.

The goals for the Shamrocks came courtesy of Owen Fask, Zach Boren, Justin Orbrochta, and Kyle Greene as they stormed to a 5-1 lead after 40 minutes inside Maysa Arena.

After the first two periods of the weekend, the Shamrocks led the shots on goal total, 27-20.

Just over two and a half minutes into the third period, the Shamrocks would tack on another as Antons Macijevskis steered through two Minot defenders, slipping one by into the back of the cage to make it 6-1.

The Tauros would not go down without a fight, though.

With 17:22 remaining in regulation, it was Ty James getting one back as he netted his third of the year, with assists coming from Ivan Sidorov and Lucca Ori.

Six minutes later, Minot would find another.

This time it was Davin Nichols finding the puck a home as he beat Shamrocks' netminder Aden Gariepy blocker-side to make it a three-goal game with 11:22 remaining in regulation.

The scoring mirage would continue as Lucca Ori would find nylon as Minot played with an extra attacker after emptying their net to cut the lead down to just two goals with a little over three minutes to play in the third period.

Despite the strong effort in the third period by the Tauros, it would prove to be too little too late as Watertown defeated Minot 7-4 on Friday night.

Getting the win in net for the Shamrocks was Gariepy, improving his record to 3-0-0 on the year.

Shots on net would also end in the Shamrocks' favor, 33-30 through 60 minutes of play.

Saturday would provide the Tauros an opportunity to get back in the win column while the Shamrocks were looking to stay hot, winning their last eight of ten games played.

It was the first period on Saturday night that would belong to Watertown as they would post their second four-goal period of the weekend.

The scoring for Watertown would start under a minute into the opening period as Zach Boren hit the back of the net for the second time on the weekend to break the scoreless tie.

The proceeding goals in the period would come by way of Kyle Greene, Zach Boren, and Vincent Curasi.

Through the first period of play on Saturday night, the Shamrocks would carry a 4-0 lead into the dressing room, outshooting the Tauros, 11-7.

23 seconds into the second period, Dane Ramirez wired in a wrister that found twine for Ramirez's team-leading seventh of the season, cutting Watertown's lead down to three on Minot's first of the night.

Much of the second period would feature a heavy offensive push by the Tauros as they would outshoot the Shamrocks 12-3 through the first half of the period.

The Shamrocks would respond and restore their four-goal advantage on the Tauros with a goal from Justin Bartley for his first of the weekend and second of the season.

Assisting on Bartley's goal were Jordan Gudridge and Joe Rice as Watertown made it 5-1.

Through 40 minutes on Saturday, Minot held the shots advantage, 22-20.

The third period would commence with Watertown adding two in the first five minutes, with Owen Fask and Carter Sproule getting themselves on the scoresheet to make it 7-1 with 14:22 remaining in regulation.

Briggs Knott would get one back for the Tauros on his second of the season as Ramirez and Sidorov picked up the assists on the goal.

The assist for Ramirez would give him a multi-point night with the earlier goal.

Quickly following the goal from Knott, the Shamrocks would answer as Boren cleaned up a rolling puck off the pad of Tauros' goaltender Brian Cooke for his third goal of the game, lighting the lamp for the fourth time on the weekend.

That score would hold as the Shamrocks would complete the weekend sweep defeating the Tauros, 8-2. Shot totals would end in favor of the Tauros 29-27 despite the loss.

The Tauros will return to the ice next weekend against the Minnesota Mallards in Watford City. The weekend series will be the first of the season, featuring the Tauros and Mallards.

As always, tickets can be purchased on the Tauros' online ticketing site. For those who cannot make it, all Tauros games are broadcast live on NATV, along with a free live audio broadcast available on the Tauros' YouTube, Facebook, and Mixlr pages.

To stay the most up to date with the Tauros, make sure to tune into Tauros All Access Monday-Thursday at 3 PM on the Tauros' YouTube and Facebook pages.

Edward Nieman, www.minotauroshockey.com

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2025


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