It was a difficult end to the month of November to say the least for the Minot Minotauros, losing five straight and surrendering 36 goals during that span, including a season-high nine in one game.

The Tauros were happy to flip the calendar over to December and even went with a new look, name and venue. The Tauros rebranded to the Watford Warthogs and called the Rough Rider Center in Watford City home for the weekend, and they opened the final month of 2025 by snapping that losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Mallards on Friday, Dec. 5. The two goals surrendered were Minot’s fewest since blanking St. Cloud on Halloween night.

Braeden Jockims scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner with 4 minutes remaining in the game while on the power play. Jockims second goal of the night gave the Tauros (8-13-3) the lead for the first time all game. Jockims tied the game 2-2 with 1:16 left in the second and Dane Ramirez brought Minot even the first time at 15:34 of the opening frame.

Minot goaltender Brian Cooke got the start with Devin Rustlie being called up by the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders earlier in the week. Cooke earned the win with a 26-save performance.

The Tauros couldn’t complete the sweep despite outshooting the Mallards 39-27. Artem Prima netted both goals for the Tauros, but Minnesota (6-11-2) scored three unanswered goals over the final 23:20.

Prima’s second goal gave the Tauros a brief 2-1 lead late in the second period, but Beckett Hinchsliff tied the game for the Mallards 30 seconds later.

Ethan Rosenoff and Parker Deschene scored in the third period.

The Tauros host a weekend series with the St. Cloud Norsemen beginning on Friday, Dec. 12, at Maysa Arena at 7:35 p.m.