The Prince Albert Mintos had a two-game homestand on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 against the league leading Regina Pat Canadians.
The Mintos lost both games at the Art Hauser Centre: 9-2 on Nov. 8 and 5-2 on Nov. 9.
Mintos coach Dion Antisin said that the team had a full effort on Nov. 9 but not on Nov. 8.
“Today (Nov. 9) we played 60 minutes hard and even in the third we had chances to go (ahead),” Antisin said. “They get two power play goals and a tough five-on-five goal that we shouldn’t have pinched on, but it was the effort that changed that outcome.”
Maxim Cooper and Caleb Philip scored for the Mintos on Nov. 9. Nathan Gardiner and Cooper Bratton each had a pair of goals for the Pat Canadians and Kysen Rogoza added the other Regina goal.
“We skated better, we were physical, we played that hard-working hockey, hard-hat hockey that we call it, and yesterday (Nov. 8), we just didn’t have that,” Antisin said.
Wyatt Nelson made 29 saves for the Mintos; Ben Meyer made 30 saves for Regina.
“The two tough goals, one goes off our skate right to their guys’ stick on the power play for the 3-2 goal, and then the ref gets in the way of the 4-2 goal, and it hurts us. (It was) a tough fifth goal, and then it kind of just goes off.”
The Pat Canadians opened the two-game set with a 9-2 win over the Mintos on Nov. 8.
Regina led 2-1 after the first period and 5-2 after the second period.
Cooper Sawatsky and Maxim Cooper scored for the Mintos. Grady Hodgins had a pair of goals for Regina; other Pat Canadians goals were scored by Ryder Doka, Alan Han, Malaki Martin, Braysen Agopsowicz, Kai Lanigan, Bratton and Gardiner.
Jaden Blanchette made 40 saves for the Mintos; Adam Muntain made 11 saves for Regina.
Antisin explained that the two games were two sides of the coin for the Mintos.
“This is a young team we’re building,” he said. “We’re trying to teach the right way to play, the right habits, and they’re going to have step backs. Yesterday was a step back and today was a step forward.
“That’s a good team that we played, they’re young, but they’re the defending national champs,” he added.
The Pat Canadians were without Maddox Shultz and Liam Pue who were away at the World U17 Challenge.
Antisin gave all credit to the Pat Canadians for their effort on the special teams.
“They’re going to be a good team no matter who they have. They recruit well and they build well,” he said.
“They come hard on the power play or their penalty kill. We’d seen it in video, but seeing and playing against there are two different things, right? They played hard.”
The Nov. 9 loss was their third straight at home. Despite the losing streak, Antisin said the Mintos were making progress.
“It’s still good for us,” he said. “We’re still satisfied with where we are in the standings, but we know we can be higher, we can fight, we can get more points. I think today was good because it’s a good measuring stick to where you are to the defending national champs. We’re able to battle with them, we’re able to play. A little puck luck here and there might help us out a little bit, but we’re on the right path.”
Mintos take two games from Hounds in Wilcox
The Mintos opened their two-game set in Wilcox with a 4-2 win over the Notre Dame Hounds on Saturday, Nov. 15.
The Mintos led 1-0 after the first period and 4-2 after the second period.
Ahead of the two game set in Wilcox head coach Dion Antisin said that the six day break would give the team some time to heal.
“We have a lot of bumps and bruises and a couple of injuries here and there. So hopefully everyone can be healthy for the weekend and go to Notre Dame, play on the big ice and hopefully move it around and play some offense,” Antisin said.
Cruz Stacey had a pair of goals for the Mintos with Carter Hryciuk and Xander Pritchard adding the other goals.
Connor McLarty scored both goals for the Hounds.
Wyatt Nelson made 28 saves for the Mintos; Karter Hilbig made 22 saves for the Mintos.
The Mintos closed the series with a 7-2 win over the Hounds on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Wilcox.
Prince Albert led 3-0 after the first period and 6-1 after the second period. Pritchard had a pair of goals for the Mintos; Linden Abercrombie, Carter Wingert, Copper Sawatsky, Maxim Cooper and Sean Lavoie added the other Mintos goals.
Cohen Kuntz made 38 saves for the Mintos; Hilbig made 32 saves for the Hounds.
As of Nov. 17, the Mintos are in eighth place in the SMAAAHL with a record of 9-7-0-0 with 18 points.
The Mintos are on the road this week when they face the Saskatoon Blazers at Merlis Belsher Place on Thursday, Nov. 20 and then in Warman to face the Wildcats on Saturday, Nov. 22.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
