The Prince Albert Mintos wasted no time jumping out to an early lead and cruised to victory at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday.
The Mintos scored on their first shot 1:15 into the first period, and added six more goal the rest of the way for a 7-0 win over the Yorkton Maulers.
“That’s the most complete we’ve played all year—every single guy, back end, front end, (and) goaltending,” Mintos head coach Doan Smith said. “It just shows that if you continue to buy in and do the right things, eventually they catch on.”
Brock Kolibab and Landin Frank led the way with five points apiece. Kolibab finished with a goal and four assists, including the game winner, while Frank tallied two goals and three assists.
Luke Senick also had a two goal night, and goaltender Joshua Henry made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season.
Casson Silbernagel made 36 saves in the Mauler goal.
“Structure-wise, I’m very proud of the group,” Smith said. “They stayed on structure, stayed on task, and it’s let your offensive creativity take over when you’re in that O-zone.
“I’ve said it all year, it’s an older group, it’s a resilient group. They want to win. They want to buy in, and they want to be able to translate this to junior hockey in a year or two, so we’re starting to see the by-in and again, proud of the effort all the way through.”
Kolibab opened the scoring 1:15 into the first when he deflected Frank’s shot off the crossbar and in.
Lincoln Rogers made it 2-0 near the midway point of the first with a wrist-shot into the top right hand corner.
Senick made it 3-0 with his first of the night just 2:24 into the second period. The Minto forward took a pass just outside the Mauler blue line, skated in one-on-one with a defender, and beat Silbernagel gloves side.
Senick scored again roughly 10 minutes later when he broke in on a 2-on-1 with Kolibab, took a cross-ice pass, and fired it over a sprawling Silbernagel to make it 4-0.
The goal was the first of two the Mintos scored in less than a minute. Frank notched his first of the game 57 seconds later. The Mintos controlled the puck off a faceoff in the Yorkton end and Frank jammed the puck in short side for a 5-0 lead.
Keland Simmonds made it 6-0 on the powerplay midway through the third period, and Frank added his second of the night with 2:35 remaining to seal the victory.
The two teams are back on the ice Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 1:30 p.m.
