The Prince Albert Mintos withstood a first-period challenge from the not-so-starry Battlefords Stars on Thursday night and returned to the top of the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League standings.
The Mintos trailed 1-0 after Colby Cave scored 12 seconds into the game, but they went on to win 6-1 at the Art Hauser Centre and moved one point ahead of the idle Saskatoon Contacts.
Prince Albert scored four unanswered goals in the second period and added two more in the third.
Battlefords battled for the opening 20 minutes, thanks in large part to goaltender Regan Santoro. The rookie from Saskatoon made 14 first-period saves, including a penalty shot by Brennen Bosovich.
The Mintos came out like gangbusters in the second period, and scored three goals on their first seven shots, including a power-play marker from defenceman Sawyer Lange.
Bosovich made up for his missed penalty shot when he netted Prince Albert's first goal just two minutes into the second. It was a big period for his line, as Cody Michelle and Ryan Dubkowski also scored and the trio combined for nine points. Dubkowski, with a three-point night, stepped up in the absence of injured centre Tyrel Seaman.
"The coaches, Tim (Leonard) and Dave (Manson), talked to us in the intermission and we came back hard," said Dubkowski, a 16-year-old rookie from Delisle. "We all knew that we could go better, and we had to start doing more, so we picked it up."
Linemates Tyson Dallman and Nathan Boyer added third-period goals for the Mintos, who fired 40 shots while remaining undefeated (18-0-3) on home ice this season.
Mintos goalie Steven Glass stopped 26 straight shots, after giving up Cave's opening goal.
Prince Albert forwards Tanner Kissick and Austin Severson pitched in on defence, with defencemen Jordan Swenson (ankle) and Eric Roy (back) sidelined with injuries. Seaman, a centre, sat out with an ailing right shoulder.
"We were missing a few guys, so I got to step up with Boss and Cody," said Dubkowski, whose efforts earned him the Mintos' hard-hat honours. "We were clicking. It was a lot of fun."
The Mintos made the most of a short bench, and coach Leonard praised natural forwards Kissick and Severson for moving back to defence to join regulars Lange, Eric Bollefer, Brandt Weldon and Conrad Szydlowski.
"It's easier for a D to go up and play forward, but for a forward to go back and play D, it's a tough thing," Leonard said. "They both did a good job tonight.
"We kept working. Overall, with just nine forwards, and two forwards playing defence, we did pretty good."
With the Mintos on the road this weekend for games against a couple of the league's weak sisters, the Regina Pat Canadians and the Notre Dame Argos, Leonard isn't going to rush the likes of Swenson, Roy and Seaman back into the lineup.
OVERTIME: Prince Albert Raiders forward Andrew Herle won $271 in the 50-50 draw. The Raiders host the Swift Current Broncos tonight at 7 o'clock.
