Mintos head coach Tim Leonard draws up a plan for his club during a timeout against the Estevan Bears on Jan. 28, 2024. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Best time of year

Mintos prepare to face Swift Current in round one of SMAAAHL playoffs

Feb 29, 2024 | 8:00 AM

With the regular season said and done and their ticket punched into the postseason, the Prince Albert Mintos are now preparing for the long journey to the top of the mountain in the SMAAAHL playoffs.

The Mintos finished the season fifth meaning they’ll faceoff with the fourth-place Swift Current Legionnaires in the first round. The Mintos and Legionnaires both finished the regular season with 55 points, however, Swift Current had the better record at 26-15-3 (W-L-OTL) compared to P.A.’s 25-14-5.

The Mintos wrapped up the regular season on a high note, winning 7-2 over the Hounds in Notre Dame. Head coach Tim Leonard reflected on the regular season and said overall, it might’ve been the toughest year he’s coached in the league.

“You have to be ready to go every night. [The coaches] thought the players did a good job, could’ve been more consistent but overall, we’re pretty happy. [The] last two weekends, we won the home-and-home with Warman which was huge, and then won our last one with Notre Dame which is a good way to finish off.”

Swift Current and P.A. met four times during the regular season with each team finishing with an identical 2-1-1 record against the other. The last time the clubs met was back in November at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current when the Mintos squeaked out a 4-3 win in overtime.

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Leonard said he’s looking forward to the matchup and spoke highly of their opponents.

“They’re a good club, no doubt about it. We were pretty even right through [the regular season] so it’ll be tight. We’re going to have to get to their goaltender( Berney Weston), he’s a key part of their team so we’re going to have to make sure we take pucks to the net and that when we get our chances, we finish them.”

He added that Brady Holtvogt will get the nod in game one which is set for Saturday night at 7:30 in Swift Current. Game two is slated for the following night in Prince Albert at the Art Hauser Centre.

The full series schedule is as follows:

Game 1: Saturday, March 2nd – 7:30 p.m. @ InnovationPlex, Swift Current

Game 2: Sunday, March 3rd – 7:00 p.m. @ Art Hauser Centre, Prince Albert

Game 3: Tuesday, March 5th – 7:45 p.m. @ InnovationPlex, Swift Current

Game 4: Thursday, March 7th – 7:00 p.m. – @ Art Hauser Centre, Prince Albert (If necessary)

Game 5: Sunday, March 10th – 4:15 p.m. @ InnovationPlex, Swift Current (If necessary)

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com