Mike Kraft/MDN Austin’s Siamion Marsshchanok gets a shot off while being dragged down by Minot’s Braeden Jockims in front of the net during the third period on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Maysa Arena.

The Minot Minotauros could not have asked for a better start to their Saturday night after a disappointing outing the night before, scoring in the opening minute and putting three goals on the scoreboard in the first seven minutes.

Unfortunately for the Tauros, a hockey game is 60 minutes and the Austin Bruins had plenty of time to respond.

And they did.

The Bruins surrendered four of the game’s first five goals, but scored six unanswered over a nearly 40-minute stretch to complete the comeback, earning a weekend sweep with a 7-5 victory over Minot at Maysa Arena on Saturday, Nov. 22.

The Tauros (7-10-3) entered the weekend series with the Bruins riding a season-best four-game winning streak – all coming against the St. Cloud Norsemen. Austin ended that streak the night prior with a 5-1 victory.

Minot got off to a much better start in the finale. Playing in his first weekend series with the Tauros, Arseni Vorobyov lit the lamp just 28 seconds into the contest. Artem Prima set the play in motion, keeping the puck in the zone off a failed clearing attempt by the Bruins. Prima sent a pass to the front of the net and Vorobyov was there to bury the scoring chance.

“I think they bought into what we talked about after last night’s game and they played a little more simple but they played a little smarter,” Minot coach Tyler Ebner said. “The effort was there. They came out with a ton of effort and they were playing physical.”

Mackley Morelli earned his first point of the season in a Tauros sweater, assisting on Minot’s second goal, which came just two minutes later to give the home team a 2-0 lead. Morelli had the primary assist on Dane Ramirez’s fourth goal of the season, collecting the loose puck in front of the net and sliding a shot past Austin goaltender Jack Solomon.

The Tauros capped off the early barrage of offense with their lone power-play goal of the night. With Zander Lipsett in the box for interference, Lucca Ori took a cross-ice feed from Prima and ripped a shot past Solomon from above the right faceoff circle.

Austin (12-5-3) took Minot’s best punch and then went on the offensive with its own goal outburst. Michael Coleman netted a pair of goals before the end of the first period, sandwiched in between Ty James’ first goal of the season for the Minotauros.

“They’re big and they’re strong, they can skate and handle the puck really well,” Ebner said of Austin. “They are well-coached and a disciplined hockey team and they play within themselves, which is something we would love to see out of us.”

Trailing 4-2 after one, the Bruins scored the next five goals and kept the Tauros off the scoreboard into the final four minutes of the game. Gavin Hruza drew the Bruins even with one of three power-play goals for the Bruins as the two teams went into the second intermission tied 4-4.

“You take some penalties and you have to be smarter,” Ebner said. “And then we’re getting back into the game, and you take some more penalties. Those are lessons we have to learn from.”

The Bruins took their first lead of the game with 12:27 remaining in regulation on a power-play goal by EJ Paddington. Paddington found the back of the net again with the man-advantage for the Bruins’ seventh goal. Austin’s Alvin Elisson added a goal in between Paddington’s tallies, which ended the night in net for Minot starting goaltender Devin Rustlie. He finished with 14 saves on 20 shots faced. Brian Cooke played the final 10 minutes, recording 11 saves on 12 shots.

After a shaky start, Solomon allowed just one goal after the first period and recorded 26 saves.

Saturday was the third time the Tauros have allowed seven goals in a game.

Despite the loss, Ebner said Saturday’s effort was much better than the night previous.

“I told those guys that it was a night-and-day difference between the effort they competed with and gave tonight versus last night,” Ebner said.

Friday night saw the Tauros surrender two short-handed goals in their 5-1 loss, the first coming on Minot’s first attempt with the man advantage. Except it was Austin’s Siamion Marshchanok scoring the goal with teammate Alex Perrault in the box for tripping.

Dominic Pajkic scored a minute later to tie the game, 1-1, which it would remain heading into the first intermission.

That was all the offense the Tauros could muster as the Bruins scored the final four goals of the game, including another short-handed goal and one with the empty net. Gavin Hruza put the Bruins in front with 15:39 left in the second period and Sam Kline netted the second short-handed goal for the Bruins to grab a 3-1 lead. Paddington added a fourth midway through the third and Austin Doyle buried an empty-net goal for good measure.

The Tauros were 0-for-7 with the extra skater.

Minot faces its division rival for the first time this season as the Tauros travel to take on the defending champion Bismarck Bobcats on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 7:15 p.m.