The Minot High School boys hockey team knocked off Bismarck High for the first time since Jan. 21, 2016 — a streak of 11 straight defeats to the Demons — Tuesday evening at Maysa Arena.

The Magicians (5-0, 4-0 WDA) kept its unblemished season alive with a 2-1 rivalry victory. Bismarck High dropped to 4-3 overall (4-1 WDA).

Although, given the history between the two teams, Minot High co-head coach Jason Bennett was reluctant to call this showdown a rivalry.

“We hadn’t beat them in 11 games, so for them, this is probably not much of a rivalry,” Bennett said. “I don’t think we played our best hockey tonight. We played much better in the third, and we found a way. I just don’t think these kids understand the opportunity to beat Bismarck High on your home ice. Maybe we have kind of become accustomed to being their whipping boy here lately. So, it’s good that we are changing the culture.”

Alex Eisen/MDN MHS junior forward Derwin Hauser (8) tries to regain control of the puck while falling to the ice Tuesday evening against Bismarck High at Maysa Arena in Minot.

The opening period featured three penalties, a handful of short-handed quality scoring chances and MHS junior goaltender Tre’ Sortland making a save with his noggin.

What it didn’t have was a goal. Neither did the second period.

“Both goaltenders played really well,” Bennett said. “If you look at the stats, they are probably the No. 1 and No. 2 goaltenders in the state. We had some quality chances at the end of the first period and didn’t capitalize. In the second period, we let up for a little bit, for whatever reason. So, that’s a little bit concerning.”

The third period started with some 4-on-4 hockey after MHS junior forward Derwin Hauser was called for a 5-minute major boarding penalty, and Bismarck skater Nicholas Mortenson ended up in the box for tripping near the end of the scoreless second period.

As Mortenson’s penalty expired, the Demons were caught with too many men on the ice. More 4-on-4 hockey followed.

The Magi used the extra room on the clean sheet of ice to finally end the stalemate. Nicholas Murphy slipped the puck over Jayden Luck for the first goal of the game with 15:20 remaining.

“I was coming down the wall, and there was a lot of space because it was 4-on-4,” Murphy said. “Luck passed it to me, and I burned the defender. And I thought since he gave (the puck) to me, I might as well give it back. He buried.”

Luck added: “I was just yelling for it and crashing the net.”

A pair of Minot minor penalties granted Bismarck a 5-on-3 power play for 26 seconds with 10:52 remaining. The Demons won the faceoff and worked the puck around until Jack Steckler got an open look in the slot. He rocketed in the equalizer.

“Minot High versus Bismarck High is a game that is always called pretty tight in the past,” Bennett said. “It was called really tight in the first two periods; penalties that could have gone either way. Then, about the last eight minutes, they let us play. We got up and down the ice, I think that’s our style.”

The Magi, with still one more penalty kill off, answered a minute later. Murphy forced the issue when facing a 1-on-1 short-handed opportunity and charged his way to the net.

His shot attempts were blocked, but Luck came rushing in to finish off the rebound. That end up being the game-winning goal.

“He is a little spark plug,” Bennett said. “He was at the right spot at the right time. The second goal, we were yelling at him to get up in the play, and he made his way up surely but slowly, and the puck found his stick.”

Luck added: “Murphy made it happen again. I just crashed the net.”

Minot defended the Bismarck’s last-ditch rushes, and Sortland buckled down to make 17 saves to get the win.

The Magi outshot the Demons 27-18.

“Big win,” Murphy said. “This puts us in the driver’s seat for the WDA.”

Minot High wraps up a three-game homestand on Saturday when they host Jamestown. Puck drop from Maysa Arena at 7:30 p.m.

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