Alex Eisen/MDN Minot High sophomore Jayden Luck (11) takes a shot to score Minot's first goal of the season against Mandan Tuesday evening at Maysa Arena.

Nearly a decade and a half in the making, the Minot High School boys hockey team won its first season opener in 14 years Tuesday evening at Maysa Arena.

The Magicians (1-0-0, 1-0-0 West Region) used three second-period goals to blank Mandan, 3-0, to snap the unbelievable long losing streak in season openers.

Minot last won its first game of the season on Nov. 22, 2005.

“We told them 12 (years) because our stats online didn’t go past 2007,” MHS co-head coach Jason Bennett said. “It’s amazing, given the success we have had in past years, not to win the first one. Three or four of those we have lost to Mandan. This is a big accomplishment.”

Feeling each other out, no goals were found in the opening period. The Magi peppered Mandan goaltender Zane Clausen with 17 shots but weren’t able to get one through.

Mandan (1-1-0, 1-1-0 West Region) had a couple of chances as well, despite only registering four shots on goal in the period. But the Magi managed to kill off two minor penalties without too much trouble.

“There probably wasn’t a need for a feeling out process — we played them in the (preseason) Jamboree,” Bennett said. “We knew what they had, and they knew what we had. But, a couple of penalties slowed us early. Once we killed those off and got some momentum, we finished the period strong. Then, getting that goal to start the second was huge.”

The Magi found their scoring touch 27 seconds into the second period. Minot’s first goal of the season came off the stick of sophomore Jayden Luck with a Mandan skater trying to block the breakaway shot from behind.

“I got the puck and decided to drive the net,” Luck said. “Scored it, and it was a pretty cool moment. I started it off, and it got the boys rolling.”

Minot added two power-play goals later in the second period via a pair of junior defensemen, Riley Opperude and Benn Bonebrake.

Casey Fjeld picked up two assists. Gabe Thongphet provided the helper on Opperude’s goal, and Luck had the first assist on Bonebrake’s tally.

“It’s funny,” Bennett said. “One guy scores a goal, you get a little adrenaline and then everybody is going.”

In net for the Magi, junior Tre Sortland turned away 11 shots for a season-opening shutout. His biggest save came with 1:54 remaining on a clear-cut breakaway by Olin Halstengard.

“Couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Sortland said. “Only allowing 11 shots is pretty amazing from them.”

While he didn’t face a lot of shots, Sortland had to deal with another hindrance — his equipment.

“My toe strap came undone,” he said. “We just couldn’t get it tied back together. It was wet and didn’t want to stay in a knot. I kept stepping on with my skate, so I would slip and I couldn’t really stand up that well.”

Minot outshot Mandan heavily, 44-11. Clausen made 41 saves for the Braves.

“We pride ourselves on defense,” Bennett said. “And we are a team that I think can score a lot of goals as well.”

The Magi hit the road next for a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday against Devils Lake.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.