The Prince Albert Mintos couldn’t gain any momentum as they were shutout 5-0 by the Saskatoon Contacts at Merlis Belsher Place on Thursday night.
Mintos head coach Tim Leonard says that Prince Albert didn’t have a strong showing.
“To be honest, we didn’t show up. We weren’t very good for 60 minutes. If anything, Kraus kept us in it early. We just weren’t ready for whatever reason, and we didn’t show up. I’ll take responsibility for that, it’s up to the coach to get the kids prepared and ready to go. But you never lose, you learn and that’s what we are going to do is learn from it.”
The Mintos and Contacts would play scoreless hockey through the first period. Shots were even at 7-7 after 20 minutes.
The Contacts would open the scoring with 14:43 to go in the second period with Braxon Kabrud’s fourth goal of the season.
Saskatoon would double the lead with a power play with just 3:50 to go in the second period. Tyrone Sobry’s 10th goal of the season gave the Contacts a 2-0 advantage after 40 minutes.
Shots in the second period favored Saskatoon 11-7.
The third period would continue the trend started in the second as Saskatoon would strike three times. Tyrone Sobry would score his second goal of the contest with 14:37 remaining in the third and Zach Moore would score his 17th of the season with 9:11 to go.
Sobry would complete the hat trick with 7:49 remaining in the hockey game with a power play goal. Sobry, a 9th round pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft by the Prince Albert Raiders, would sign his WHL Standard Player Agreement as well as a Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Raiders on Friday.
With the loss, the Mintos now find themselves in a three game losing streak coming out of the Christmas holiday break and now sit with a record of 12-14-0-2 on the season.
Leonard says the team is hoping has a bounce back effort in them this weekend when they host Estevan for two games.
“The first two losses, we played ok. Notre Dame we were outstanding. Thursday in Saskatoon we didn’t show up, we mailed it in. I just want a good response. I want us to go out and work and to be a good Minto that’s what we are all about. This team has a lot of pride and got a lot of character, and we got a strong culture. I’m hoping to re-establish that and play a good solid game and the confines of the home arena allow us to score some goals.
The Mintos will return to home ice for the first time in over a month, with their last home game coming against the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors on Dec. 4
Leonards says he is looking forward to the weekend ahead with a strong practice scheduled for Friday.
“I hope they’re excited. We get to play at home at the rink we practice at every day and are accustomed to. We’ll have a good chat and air some stuff out and get some problems solved. I am expecting us to have a good weekend, I hope the kids respond to it.”
The Mintos take on the Estevan Bears on Saturday and Sunday. Puck drops 7 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
sports@paherald.sk.ca
