Trojans center Trenton Curtis (far right) leads a rush in overtime during a game against the Prince Albert Mintos. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Aaron Schulze

Trojans Shootout Loss

Trojans force overtime, fall to Mintos in shootout 3-2

Jan 23, 2020 | 2:12 PM

It felt like a point earned and a point surrendered for the Tisdale Trojans.

The Trojans trailed to the Prince Albert Mintos 2-0 after the first period on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the Tisdale RECplex but managed to force overtime and secure a single point. They fell 3-2 after the shootout, not being able to score a goal in the skills competition.

“All in all. I thought it was one of our better efforts of the year,” Trojans Head Coach Dennis Kubat told northeastNOW postgame. “The boys showed a lot of heart and character there battling back. We did a lot of the things we were preaching as a coaching staff in the game – trusting our neutral zone and systems – and it seemed to pay off as the game went on. Every game you want to get the two points, but we can build on this one.”

The main factor going against the Trojans was their power play.

Tisdale went 0/3 on the power play – including a two minute four-on-three man advantage in overtime – and surrendered a shorthanded goal in the first period. A failed pinch in the offensive zone led to a two-on-one the other way and Mintos forward Gage Helm blasted the puck in the wide-open net.

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After the first period, the Trojans outscored the Mintos 2-0 and outshot them 21-14 in the final two frames. Center Trenton Curtis slapped a pass up the middle home and captain Kalen Ukrainetz banked in his Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) leading the 28^th goal of the season.

Despite a late pushback from the Mintos in the final five minutes, the Trojans hung on and went to overtime for the third time this season. Kubat said he welcomes the opportunity to play in tight games with the post-season a little over a month away.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Mintos, Gage Helm (6) from Chase Bertholet (11) and Chase Friedt-Mohr (21) (shorthanded), 12:25

2-0, Mintos, Chase Bertholet (13) from Cooper Chisholm (9) and Ty Bahm (18), 19:38

Second Period

2-1, Trojans, Trenton Curtis (10) from Mario Fortier (13) and Mackenzie Carson (12), 13:53

Third Period

2-2, Trojans, Kalen Ukrainetz (28) from Keagon Little (18) and Jeremy Hancock (8), 14:39

Overtime

No scoring.

Tisdale Trojans Shootout

First round, Trenton Curtis, no goal

Second round, Kalen Ukrainetz, no goal

Third round, Cole Tanchuk, no goal

Prince Albert Mintos Shootout

First round, Chase Bertholet, goal

Second round, Josh Peppler, no goal

Third round, Dawson Springer, no goal

Goaltending

Trojans, Hunter Lolacher (SOL), 19 saves on 21 shots, 65 minutes played

Mintos, Joel Favreau (W), 31 saves on 33 shots, 65 minutes played

Looking ahead

The Trojans sit seventh in the SMAAAHL standings with 40 points (19-14-1-1) in 35 games played. They now trail the Mintos for sixth in the league by five points with a game in hand, lead the eighth-place Swift Current Legionnaires by four points having played two more games. Tisdale can clinch a post-season spot with five wins or nine points in their final nine games in the regular season.

Despite some lost ground to pass the Mintos in the standings, Kubat said the mood in the Trojans’ dressing room doesn’t feel down.

“We played well,” he said. “At the start of the year, we were 2-6 and P.A. was 8-0. Twenty-five games later we’re right up there with them. I like our progress throughout the year. Our goal is to get better everyday and I think today was a big step of getting better; playing against top teams and controlling most of the play and shots, and maybe having the edge in scoring chances.

“We didn’t have to rely on Hunter (Lolacher) as much as we usually do against the better teams. If we trust the systems and process, I’m liking our chances going forward. It doesn’t matter where we end up in the standings or who we play, it’s just continuing to get better on and off the ice.”

Up next is a home game against the Notre Dame Hounds, the fifth-place team in the SMAAAHL who have dominated the Trojans this season, winning games 4-2, 6-2, and 5-1.

Kubat admitted the Hounds have dominated the Trojans throughout nine periods of play so far. But with a new line-up, more healthy players available, and a new system that involves their defencemen jumping up in the play and being more aggressive offensively, he’s optimistic the final game between the two in the regular season will be more competitive.

“[Our players] should be motivated, as the competitiveness in them should want to be successful against [Notre Dame] and show them we can play with the top teams in the league,” Kubat said. “The Hounds haven’t seen our best and hopefully we can show them what we’re made of.”

The Trojans host the Hounds on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 4:45 p.m. at the Tisdale RECplex.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow