When Bryanna Bergeron's 25-foot rope hit the right corner of net, the first-period goal may as well have been worth three.
The way Minot goalie Sydney Swanson made each Mandan scoring attempt look feeble in the Majettes' 2-0 win Tuesday night at Maysa Arena, the cushion was considerably larger than what the scoreboard suggested.
Swanson, who tallied 30 saves, was brilliant at the gate. Whether it was on a Braves' breakaway or a series of shots from point-blank range, the sure-handed senior was on point in the Majettes' season-opening triumph.
Article Photos
Adam Lawson/MDN
Minot High School freshman Alissa Ewan skates past Mandan’s Mariah Marsh in the Majettes’ 2-0 win Tuesday at Maysa Arena.
"Syd was lights out tonight," Minot coach Weylin Wahlstrom said. "She saved us. She comes in with that experience as a starter. She was seeing the puck well and handling her rebounds and kept her composure. She's growing up into quite the goaltender."
Jessie Kongelf sent a shot past a host of defenders in the second period, scoring at the 13 minute, 49-second mark to help solidify the win. Other than Kongelf and Bergerson's goals, though, the Majettes struggled offensively.
Minot (1-0) had a meager 12 shots on goal - less than half of Mandan's 30 - and leaned on a brazen defensive effort as its new-look offense jelled.
The Braves had five power plays to the Majettes' three, which contributed to a few more open looks at the net.
"We're going to make some mistakes earlier in the season," Wahlstrom said. "It's a learning experience and we can just hope to improve in the time frame we have."
Swanson, a junior, echoed her coach's sentiment.
"The younger girls are just learning and they have a lot of potential," Swanson said. "It just takes a bit for them to get kicking."
Bergeron added an assist for Minot, which visits Devils Lake on Nov. 30.