Exciting exhibition: Minot native scores tying goal as Minotauros defeat Bobcats in shootout

• Ryan Doner

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Minot Minotauros forward Ryan Doner, left, carries the puck against Bismarck Bobcats defenseman Chris Diver on Tuesday night during a North American Hockey League exhibition game at the Dickinson Recreation Center. Minot won 6-5 in a shootout.

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The fans that packed the Dickinson Recreation Center for Tuesday night’s North American Hockey League exhibition game got more than what they bargained for — a shootout.

Wesley Iverson netted the Minot Minotauros’ final goal in the shootout to defeat the Bismarck Bobcats 6-5.

“We came here to promote hockey for the city of Dickinson and I think both teams put on a good show,” Minot head coach Marty Murray said. “It was good for the fans to see what our league is about.”

Bismarck held an advantage after Joe Giordano’s second goal of the game with 16 minutes, 3 seconds left. Less than nine minutes later, Minot’s Mason Morelli flipped a backhanded wrist shot past Bismarck’s Bryan Nies for the tying goal.

“It was good,” Bismarck head coach Layne Sedevie said. “This is pretty much the way it is every night. Sometimes it’s about who makes the least amount of mistakes. It was a good show for the fans.”

Morelli, a Minot native, netted his first point with an assist in the third period on a Lucas Oliver goal. After Morelli’s goal, the fans got free hockey as the teams headed to overtime.

“We played a pretty good game tonight,” Morelli said. “We did the little things right. It was fun playing in front of the Dickinson crowd.”

After a scoreless five-minute overtime period, the teams went to a shootout. Minot’s Travis Maxwell struck first, but Giordano responded to tie up the game 5-5. Then Iverson knocked in the game-winning shot over Nies’ glove.

“It was kind of a back-and-forth game,” Murray said. “Both teams came to compete.”

The first two periods were battles as Bismarck and Minot scored within 30 and 40 seconds of each other in both periods. The Bobcats eventually took the lead on Giordano’s first goal of the game late in the second period.

“He (Giordano) is very good,” Sedevie said. “I thought he was very opportunistic tonight. I thought he had a good second, good third and good goal in the shootout.”

Minot’s Ryan Ruck was the winning goalie with 19 saves. Nies had 22 saves for the Bobcats.

Bismarck’s Bob Kinne, who is committed to play hockey at Bemidji State, had one goal and one assist, while Sam Coborn added a pair of assists. Mike Dockry supplied a goal and an assist.

Morelli hopes the shootout win can translate to the regular season as Minot hosts Bismarck on Saturday.

“Hopefully this carries over to the next game and the next game,” Morelli said. “If we keep doing the little things right, we’ll be successful.”

Minot 1 1 2 2 – 6

Bismarck 1 2 1 1 – 5

FIRST PERIOD: 1, B, Bob Kinne (Sam Coborn) 15:56. 2, M, Cameron Rowat (Travis Maxwell) 15:32.

SECOND PERIOD: 3, M, Cody Milligan (unassisted) 14:25. 4, B, Mike Dockry (Kinne, Coborn) 13:45. 5, B, Joe Giordano, (Chris Diver, Dockry) 2:12.

THIRD PERIOD: 6, M, Lucas Oliver (Mason Morelli) 18:50. 7, B, Giordano (Matt Anders) 16:03. 8, M, Morelli (Paul Sorenson) 7:12.

OVERTIME: No scoring.

SHOOTOUT: M, Maxwell. B, Giordano. M, Wesley Iverson.

SAVES: M, Ryan Ruck 8-6-4-1–19. B, Bryan Nies 4-9-8-1–22.

Tags: nahl hockey, bismarck bobcats, minot minotauros, sports, hockey, nahl