The Mintos file off the Art Hauser Centre ice following a 6-1 win over the Notre Dame Hounds on Oct. 22, 2023. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Back to Sask

Mintos eliminated from Circle K Classic following quarterfinal loss

Dec 31, 2023 | 4:08 PM

The Prince Albert Mintos are on their way home from Calgary after dropping their do-or-die quarterfinal contest at the Circle K Classic on Saturday afternoon.

The Mintos were up against the Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange and were eliminated from the tournament following a 5-1 defeat.

Owen Nelson had the lone marker for P.A. while Kale Margolis and Taite Donkin managed to grab the assists. Brady Holtvogt was in goal for the Mintos and turned aside 33 shots as the Green and Gold finished the tournament with a 1-3 record.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

Prince Albert’s head coach Tim Leonard reflected on the teams’ time at the prestigious tournament and said it was a great opportunity for the team.

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

12h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

12h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

13h ago

“It was a great experience for the kids,“ he said. “We’re going to use it as a measuring stick for the club teams that play for the Telus [Cup]. We played a couple of them, we lost but we can play with them and that’s what we were looking for. Then the academies and States teams, that’s a whole different ball game. Overall, a great experience.”

The Mintos began their tournament on Wednesday where they got off on the wrong foot, falling 6-4 to the Calgary Northwest Flames. They then rebounded the following day against OHA Penticton 7-2 before dropping their final round robin game on Friday 12-3 to Shattuck-St. Mary’s (SSM), the number one ranked prep school in the United States.

Trailing 4-3 after the first period against SSM, the Minnesota based school went on to score six in the second where Leonard said they poked the bear in the opening frame.

“I think we woke them up is what happened,” he joked. “We came out hard, we came out physical and they probably weren’t used to that. We were right with them and if anything we fired them up and once they got rolling it was pretty tough to control them. They’re the real deal. They were fun to watch and they were a pretty impressive hockey club.”

Nelson led the Mintos in points with six while Donkin, Margolis, and Teigan Semchyshen finished with four each. For the goalies, Josh Henry finished with 0.865 SV% (Save Percentage) and a 4.69 GAA (Goals Against Average) with one win while Holtvogt 0.838 SV%, a 6.81 GAA, and was also credited with the three losses.

Prince Albert is back in league action on Jan. 7 when they visit the Contacts in Saskatoon.

—

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com