Prince Albert Mintos goaltender Wyatt Nelson challenges an Estevan puck carrier during a contest against the Bears at Affinity Place in Estevan on Jan. 31, 2026. (Image Credit: Wanda Harron Photography/Facebook)

By Logan Lehmann

Playoff push

Mintos drop weekend in set in Estevan

Feb 3, 2026 | 12:14 PM

The Prince Albert Mintos came home empty handed from their most recent trip to Southern Saskatchewan this past weekend. 

PA made the trip to Estevan to wrap up their season series with the Bears at Affinity Place where the Mintos dropped back-to-back contests, falling 7-2 on Saturday and 6-3 on Sunday. 

The results marked the club’s fifth and sixth straight losses, as Prince Albert has now lost 14 of their last 15 games dating back to Dec. 7. The Mintos are 12-20-3-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) on the campaign with eight games left to go and sit five points back of the Battlefords Stars for the eighth and final playoff spot. 

Following a scoreless first period during Saturday’s contest, the Bears rallied in the second for three goals from Ayden Warren, Gunner Moore, and Brendan Jones. Estevan carried that lead into the third and quickly extended the lead with Boston Schmidt’s marker just 43 seconds into the frame.  

While shorthanded, Xander Pritchard got the Mintos on the board a short time later to dig into the lead before Simon Preston responded to extinguish the effort. However, PA continued to push and managed to pot another one, this time off the stick of Carter Hryciuk to make it 5-2 with 10 minutes to play. Estevan stayed on the gas, though, and managed two more before the final buzzer coming from William Nicholson via an empty net and Rhett Amberson while on the powerplay. 

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Wyatt Nelson was between the pipes for the entire game for PA and managed 43 saves, while Jaxon Kuchinka stopped 37 shots for the win. 

Sunday was much of the same story. 

A scoreless first period translated into a monster second for Estevan, where the Bears hung four goals on the Mintos courtesy of Jones, Ethan Boehm, and two from Moore. Prince Albert broke the goose egg within the first 90 seconds of the third period thanks to Jakob Schmidt, but Estevan again halted their momentum with a marker from Warren.  

After Moore completed the hat-trick to put the Bears up 6-1, the Mintos managed two more before the clock ran out with Linden Abercrombie netting one on the powerplay, and Carter Wingert beating the buzzer with four seconds left as Estevan completed the weekend sweep. 

Jaden Blanchette was in net for the Green and Gold on Sunday, turning aside 47 shots. Meanwhile, Evan Hutcheon made 36 saves for the Bears, as Estevan improves to 21-12-1-2 on the year.  

The Mintos will look to get back into the win column on Tuesday night, when they welcome the Saskatoon Blazers to the Art Hauser Centre for their final meeting of the regular season. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. 

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com