The season doesn’t end today, but if it did, the Minot United girls hockey team would be participating in the state tournament, a position they haven’t been in for awhile.

Minot United matched its season high for goals in a 4-1 victory over Mandan on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Starion Sports Complex. The victory vaulted Minot United over the Braves in the standings, taking over the eighth spot. Minot United has 11 points, while Mandan (4-7-0-1 overall, 3-7-0-1 state) currently sits in ninth place with 10 points at the halfway point of the season.

The offensive output was the most since Minot United’s first two games of the season against SE Goldwings and Devils Lake.

Brynn Hanson finished with a three-point night with two goals and an assist. She assisted on the first goal of the game. Ava Beda took a pass from Hanson and buried a shot past Mandan goaltender Laaden Dobitz for a 1-0 lead at 14:31 of the opening period.

Minot United (4-7-1-0, 3-7-1-0) managed just 13 shots on net, but made them count. The Braves fired 52 shots on Minot United goaltender Faith Seekings, but could only manage to get one shot by her. That shot came off the stick of Tayah Myhre at 6:45 of the second period to tie the game. Hanson put Minot United in front once again less than five minutes later, giving her team a 2-1 advantage entering the third despite being outshot 43-9 to that point.

Julia Stoner provided some breathing room for Minot United at 8:04 of the third period and Hanson buried an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left to give Minot United its first two-game winning streak since opening the season with two consecutive wins.

Seekings finished with 51 saves to earn the victory. Dobitz stopped nine shots.

Minot United travels to take on Grand Forks on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6:15 p.m.