Ashton Tait scores the winning goal in a shootout against the Saskatoon Contacts. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

CLUTCH WIN

Tait the shooutout hero as Mintos beat Contacts

Feb 2, 2023 | 10:24 AM

Ashton Tait forced overtime with 54 seconds left, before notching the shootout winner as his hometown Prince Albert Mintos beat the Saskatoon Contacts 2-1 on home ice Wednesday night.

It was a strong defensive battle for both teams with the game remaining scoreless until 1:10 left in the second period. That’s when Ronan Buckberger shot one past Jayden Kraus to give the Contacts the 1-0 lead.

That advantage would last until very late in the third when Tait scored the equalizer as the Mintos net was empty.

After five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime solved nothing, it was on to a best-of-three shootout. Tait would be the only player to score, giving his team the 2-1 victory.

After the game, Mintos head coach Tim Leonard praised Tait and the entire team for staying in the game.

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“We found a way to win tonight which was awesome,” he said. “It was huge and Taiter has been a little snakebit, so it was good to see him bank one home.”

The Mintos celebrate their shooutout win. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

Meanwhile, Jayden Kraus stopped all the shots in overtime and the shootout and finished the night with 25 saves, earning him First Star of the game.

“Our whole team was good up and down the lineup,” he said adding what he felt following the shootout and stopping the final shot. “This game was huge for us and for me to stop that and get it for our team was huge.”

The Mintos will be back at work quickly as they prepare for back-to-back games this weekend against the Yorkton Maulers.

Leonard believes the win against the Contacts gives them a big confidence boost heading into those games.

“We’d like to do well this weekend,” he said. “They’re right on our behind there for a playoff spot. If we can have a good weekend, we put ourselves in a better spot for the playoffs.”

The first of those games goes Saturday night at 7:00 at the Art Hauser Centre.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock

by Derek Craddock

Tait the shooutout hero as Mintos beat Contacts

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