Robert Brewer/MDN Minot's Cade Stibbe (20) wrists one past the Austin defense in the first period of Friday's home contest against the Bruins.

On Friday evening, the third-place Minot Minotauros looked to begin their three-game home stand at the Maysa Arena by hosting the Austin Bruins.

The contest got off to an inauspicious start. Just 11 seconds into the game, Minot’s Blaine Warnert and Austin’s Connor Mylymok were assessed 10-minute misconduct penalties for fighting.

With both teams at even strength later in the period, Minot’s Cade Stibbe broke the scoreless tie with a wrist shot past Austin netminder Tyler Shea for the first score of the game. He was assisted on the play by Ryan Petersen and Ross Roloson.

Minot padded its lead in the second with two more goals as Kyle Kukkonen and Mason Campbell each got on the board for the Minotauros. While Kukkonen notched his seventh score of the season, Campbell recorded his second of the year.

The Tauros maintained a 3-1 lead after two periods. Minot continued its offensive exploits in the third as they totaled three goals. Logan Anderson registered his sixth goal of the season off an assist from Roloson to start things out, then Kukkonen and Jack Westlund each accounted for power play goals later in the frame to push the lead to 6-2. With Minot comfortably ahead, Austin would score its last goal with 12 second remaining in the contest.

The game was chippy throughout as a total of 18 penalties were called on the evening with nine penalties being assessed to each team. Meanwhile, Tauros netminder Keenan Rancier stopped 25 of 28 shots and Tyler Shea stopped 32 of 38 shots on goal for Austin.

Minot and Austin will square off in the second game of the two-game series at the Maysa Arena on Saturday at 8:05 p.m.