Seconds after losing the deciding Game 4, Mintos captain Rhett Ravndahl made sure to embrace his goaltender Jayden Kraus, who made 30 saves in the defeat. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff).

By Jeff D’Andrea

Mintos Hockey

Mintos eliminated by Wildcats after falling in Game 4

Mar 20, 2022 | 9:29 PM

The Prince Albert Mintos’ season ended on Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre, as they lost three-games-to-one to the Warman Wildcats. The Wildcats won Game 4 by a 6-3 margin and will advance to the second round of the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League playoffs.

The Mintos did not go quietly, as they brought the pressure to the Wildcats through the game, and didn’t allow the Wildcats to have a lead until the 53-minute mark of the game.

Both teams traded goals for the first 40 minutes, with Mintos assistant captain Nate Misskey putting the home side on the board first three minutes into the period. Right off a power-play faceoff, Misskey blasted a one-timer past the blocker of Wildcats goaltender Alex Worthington and into the net.

The Wildcats would respond at the eight-minute mark when Connor Gabriel protected the puck behind the net, before setting up captain Brody Mortensen with a quick one-timer.

Jacob Cossette would then restore the Mintos’ lead 73 seconds later, tipping a high-and-wide point shot from Rhett Ravndahl and in.

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Mortensen scored his second of the opening period, a seeing-eye shot on the power play with 32 seconds left in the opening frame to make it 2-2 after the first.

Logan Beebe’s shot went through a screen and evaded Alex Worthington exactly five minutes into the second period. Ryan Lepitski absorbed a crosscheck in front of the net, put provided enough of a screen to take away Worthington’s vision.

But the Wildcats again would respond and tie it up, with Connor Gabriel finding some room in front right after a faceoff to make it 3-3 after 40 minutes of play.

The Wildcats didn’t get a lead until the 53-minute mark of the game when Wildcats defenceman Rylan Pearce flew down the right side on the power play and beat Jayden Kraus on the blocker side to inch the Wildcats ahead 4-3. Jaydon Jessiman added to the lead, as his shot deflected high off Kraus and into the net with 7:55 remaining. Mason Bueckert scored an empty-net goal late to seal it.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW