The Aberdeen Wings improved to 22-1-0-0 on the season after defeating the Minot Minotauros 3-1 Wednesday night at the Odde Ice Center.
Thomas Many got the Wings on the board first at the 11:36 mark in the first period, assisted by Natan Vertes and Will Arquiett. Vertes added a goal of his own just over two minutes later, assisted by Manty and Cosentino, and the Wings skated into the first intermission leading 2-0, with Aberdeen outshooting Minot 15-9.
Both teams got a bit more physical in the second period; Aberdeen outshot the Minotauors 11-8, but neither team found the chance to score.
At the 15:24, Minot found a way to score on Wings goalie Jake Sibell, bringing the Minotauros within one point. They pulled goalie Keenan Rancier at the 18:37 mark to give themselves the extra man advantage, but Liam Fraser found the empty net just seven seconds later to give the Wings the cushion they were looking for. Fraser was assisted by Vertes on the game’s final goal. Vertes ended with three points on the night after one goal and two assists.
“I felt we worked hard but didn’t have the puck bounce our way,” Wings head coach and general manager Scott Langer said after the game. “It’s just one of those nights that you have to be happy for the two points and move on.”
Overall, Aberdeen outshot Minot 33-25. Sibell stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced, while Rancier turned away 30 of 32. Sibell remains at the top of the NAHL’s Top Goalie list with an incredible 19-0 record, holding a goals-against average of just 1.01 and a .960 save percentage.
The Wings have the weekend off before returning to the Odde to host the Minnesota Wilderness Feb. 5-6. Langer said his team will be using the short break to prepare for a team they haven’t faced yet this season.
“The focus is to recharge our bodies and mind and prepare the right way for the Wilderness,” he said.
Fans can purchase tickets ahead of the game online at tickets.AberdeenWings.com.