Mintos off to the Telus Cup, win Western Regionals

To get there again this year, they needed some third period heroics from Mintos captain Teal Sobkowicz.

Sobkowicz took the brunt of a knee-on-knee collision with Argos forward Dillon Dube in the third period, injuring his left knee. Sobkowicz went off for repairs, then came back moments later to score the 4-3 game-winning goal—a tip shot on Rhys Kipling’s point blast with 8:54 left in the game.

“I’ve had some knee troubles all year. I got hit and it kind of just buckled,” said Sobkowicz. “I went off and our trainer Quinns (Quentin Halcro) wrapped me up pretty good, and put some Biofreeze on it so I couldn’t feel it.

“I went back out and just managed to tip one off Rhys Kipling’s shots.”

Morrison joked after the game that the Sobkowicz tip looked very much like a drill the Mintos do all the time in practice. Sobkowicz recalls laughing about that with Kipling and his team on the bench shortly after the goal.

“That’s what we said when we saw each other on the bench, it’s just like the drill we do in practice,” said Sobkowicz. “That’s what we do in practice, having our stick in the lanes and shooting at it. It worked out perfect.”

With Dube in the box for his kneeing infraction, Mintos rookie forward Josh Roberts took Sobkowicz’s place on the power play and scored to put the Mintos up 3-2 in the third period.

Argos defenceman Evan Werle lost his stick earlier during the penalty kill, allowing Keegan Kjargaard the time to find Roberts.

“Right place, right time I guess,” said Roberts, the 16-year-old rookie from Star City. “Keegs passed the puck out front and luckily I was there to put it short side.”

Roberts had just three goals in 33 games during the regular season, but has proven he can score in clutch situations. He was tied for the team lead in goals for the Mintos at the Mac’s Midget AAA Tournament in Calgary.

“I’m not too sure exactly what it is to be honest, but it seems that when you’re under pressure, you’re legs keep going that much more,” said Roberts. “You have that much more drive in you. For sure, I definitely enjoy these tournaments.”

If Roberts liked the Western Regionals, he’ll surely like the Telus Cup national midget AAA championships.

They start April 21 in Moose Jaw.

Connor Ingram made 31 saves in the game on 34 shots. He finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and a .932 save percentage.

Argos goalie Dylan Ferguson made 29 saves on 33 shots.

The other goal-scorers for the Mintos were Raider prospect Lance Yaremchuk and Dakota Boutin. Dillon Dube, Chance Longjohn and Jack Flaman scored for the Argos.

Jordan Berger MVP

At the tournament banquet on Saturday, Notre Dame Argos forward Jordan Berger was named the tournament MVP. He had three goals and an assist in the round-robin.

Berger is also the only American to appear in the tournament, as he hails from Meridian, ID.

Two Esso scholarships were awarded at the banquet, to the Winnipeg Wild’s Ezra Hall and Thunder Bay Kings’ Cashen Tighe.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea

by Jeff D'Andrea

Mintos off to the Telus Cup, win Western Regionals

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