By Jeff D'Andrea

Mintos win 3rd in a row; 5-3 over Swifty

Oct 26, 2014 | 4:08 PM

The Prince Albert Mintos dominated the shot clock, puck possession and flow of the game against the Swift Current Legionnaires, but great goaltending and opportune scoring from the visitors made it a tight, close game.

The Mintos ended up winning the game 5-3, but if it wasn’t for Legionnaires goaltender Chantz Vinck, it could have been a lot more lopsided of a win.

Despite the Mintos leading the shot clock 47-18 midway through the third, they found themselves in a 3-3 game. Vinck dove around his crease all afternoon to make spectacular saves to keep his team in it—the Mintos needed something magical to beat him and take the lead.

They found it from their first line on a gorgeous passing play. Before you could say ‘nice pass,’ Mintos forward Erik Gardiner gained control of the puck in the high slot, sent it down to Reed Gunville at the side of the net, who then found Brett Harasymuk for a blocker side, snipe job.

If the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League had a plays of the week segment, that goal would be on it.

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“That was the ol’ saying of ‘the tic-tac-toe’ play right there around the front of the net,” said Mintos assistant coach Todd Becker. “Harasymuk, he didn’t make any mistakes on his shot.

“It was a beautiful goal, beautiful set-up.” 

Despite having only suited up for nine games this year as he’s battled through lower body injuries, Harasymuk already has six goals to lead the Mintos. He’s been able to finish off plays much like that one from Gunville and Gardiner, both of whom are tied for the Mintos assist lead with eight.

“Gunner and Gards are always passing it to me and I’m learning now that I can finish,” said Harasymuk, who also had an assist on Sunday. “It’s good that they count on me and that’s what I got to do here.

“Scoring now is essential. We’ve got 19 guys in there and they’re counting on us to score. If we want to win, I have to be on every game. I can’t slack off.”

That goal seemed to drown the Legionnaires spirits, who had worked so hard defending to stay in the game.

Mintos forward Chase Tippett scored his first Midget AAA career goal with just over three minutes in the game to take a late 5-3 lead, after receiving a great pass from Drake Teer, who picked up his first Midget AAA point.

Responding in a big way

Ever since the Mintos had two blowout losses at home; an 8-2 drubbing to the Notre Dame Hounds Oct. 18 and a 6-0 thrashing Oct. 19 to the Regina Pat Canadians, the Mintos have won all three of their games since.

The Mintos have outscored their opposition 12-6 in that span as well, beating the Battlefords Stars on the road 2-1 on Oct. 23, before beating the Yorkton Maulers 5-2 on Saturday and the Legionnaires 5-3 on Sunday.

“We had to answer back with the character we want to start building here,” said Becker. “We want the message out that we’re a team to be reckoned with and that we’ll be there come playoff time.

“We have to start pushing through everybody. We’re looking forward to the games coming up, we’re starting to gel.”

Summary

Erik Gardiner opened the scoring for the Mintos 12 minutes into the game, but Connor Odelein tied it late in the first on a weird rebound off the end glass.

Chris Van Os-Shaw and Josh Roberts both scored in the first half of the second period to take a 3-1 lead, but Jarrett Gerlach and Odelein (his second) both scored for the visitors to make it a 3-3 game early in the third.

Brett Harasymuk would get the go-ahead midway through the third, before Chase Tippett would score the 5-3 insurance marker.

Taylor Unruh made 19 saves on the day for the Mintos win. Vinck made 50 stops for the Legionnaires.

Looking ahead

The Mintos will face the Notre Dame Argos for their next game on Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. After a contest on the road against the Saskatoon Blazers Nov. 5, the Mintos will return home to play the Beardy’s Blackhawks on Nov. 13 before a four-game road trip.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea