Considering the fact that Quinn Fuchs was one of the more prolific scorers in the West Region a year ago, the junior forward wasn't too content with his early-season drought.
But Fuchs, who hadn't scored a goal in Minot's first three outings, found the net twice in Tuesday night's 4-2 edging of Mandan at Maysa Arena, helping the Magicians win their third straight.
Hayden Schwarz scored the go-ahead goal with one minute, 20 seconds left in the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock and Fuchs added another just seconds later to solidify the triumph.
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Adam Lawson/MDN
Minot High School junior forward Jersey Kelly skates past a Mandan defender during the Magicians’ 4-2 win on Tuesday at Maysa Arena.
"I finally got off the schneid," said Fuchs, Minot's points leader last season. "I was gripping the stick too tight but coach just told me that goals are like grapes - they come in bunches."
Up until that late surge, though, it wasn't an ideal showing for the Magi.
Minot trailed 1-0 for most of the first and second periods after the Braves' Brady Zittleman snuck an attempt past sophomore goalie Breydan Effertz.
Zittleman, who had both of his team's goals, paced a Mandan club that looked to exceed the Magicians' physical play.
Mandan had nine of the game's 16 penalties and were even given a pair of majors in the chippy affair.
"That's Mandan-Minot hockey," Minot coach Chad Burckhard said. "When we get together it's pretty physical. In my nine years here I don't think I've seen it any differently."
Morgan Martelle's power-play goal late in the second period knotted up the contest before Fuchs' goal early in the third period gave the Magicians their first lead.
Roughing and tripping penalties by Minot put the Braves in a position to score on a power play midway through the third to tie it up.
"We scored on a couple 5-on-3s like we should have," Burckhard said. "But we can't have those kinds of bad penalties with a late lead like that."
From there, Schwarz, who also had a pair of assists, was able to put the Magicians over the top.
Minot (3-1) travels to Bismarck Century on Thursday for a 7:15 p.m. tilt.