Mintos Caden Dunn (#14) makes a Blazers player talk to the hand. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Mintos preseason

Blazers ride three-goal first period to topple Mintos

Sep 13, 2022 | 10:08 PM

The Saskatoon Blazers came out firing on all cylinders on Tuesday night, potting three first period goals to take down the Prince Albert Mintos 5-3 at the Art Hauser Centre.

Lee Shurgot’s three-point performance was enough to lead the Blazers in the stats department, scoring one goal and adding two assists. Leo Seitz followed up Shurgot with two-goals of his own while Luke Dahlen and Josh Knittig each had one.

For the Mintos, Logan Pickford had himself a two-goal night while Owen Nelson also lit the lamp for PA. Konnor Watson had two assists and Roper Blanchard and Owen Dyck also had helpers of their own in the contest.

Blazers goaltender Grayson Malinoski made 24 saves on 27 shots as Saskatoon improves to 1-0-0-0 in the preseason.

Mintos netminder’s Hunter Nakonechny and Brady Holtvogt split ice time in the crease tonight, but it was Nakonechny who ended up taking the loss. He stopped 14 of 17 while Holtvogt made 12 saves. Prince Albert now falls to 0-2-1-0 in exhibition play.

Newly Added Position

New Deputy Sheriff coming to Prince Albert Court of King's Bench

8h ago

Riderville

Ask Not for Whom the Bell Tolls

15h ago

Calling for answers

'He should not have died this way': Prince Albert family calls for inquest after man's death in detox

Sep 18, 2024

The Mintos wrap up their preseason in Warman tomorrow night versus the Wildcats.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

Despite this game being the first of the preseason for the Blazers, the team looked as if they were already in mid-season form. Saskatoon tallied three first period markers within the opening ten minutes of the frame thanks to a pair of goals from Seitz and one from Shurgot.

The Mintos got one back later in the period while on the powerplay with Blanchard feeding Nelson in front who ripped it past the Blazers netminder to make it 3-1 after one.

Saskatoon and PA traded goals in the second with the Blazers notching the first. Granger’s point shot was deflected in front by Dahlen to restore their three-goal lead.

The Mintos would respond in a big way in the dying minutes of the period. Watson’s point shot was stopped, but Pickford jammed home the loose puck to cut into the Saskatoon lead.

Much like the second, both teams split goals in the third with Knittig scoring for the Blazers, and Pickford netting his second of the night for the Mintos.

That’s as close as PA got however, as the Saskatoon Blazers downed the PA Mintos 5-3.

The Mintos now head south to play their fourth and final preseason contest where they’ll battle the Warman Wildcats at the Legends Centre.

—

logan.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann