Northern Bears defenceman Addison Davidge (#4). (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

AAA Hockey

Mintos off to hot start, Northern Bears drop opening series

Oct 1, 2025 | 1:42 PM

Prince Albert’s AAA hockey teams are off and running on the 2025/26 season.

The Mintos and Mann-Northway Northern Bears both kicked off the regular season this past weekend, where the Mintos were in Yorkton and the Bears were at home.

The Mintos embarked on the year on a bit of a sour note, falling in their season opener on Saturday, 4-1. Cruz Stacey had the lone marker in the contest for P.A., his first in AAA, to tie the game at one in the second. Austin Root would score with 21 seconds left in the frame to put the Maulers back on top, before Meric Poncelet and Brodyn Pladson found the back of the net in the third, securing a win for Yorkton.

The two rematched less than a day later on Sunday afternoon, where the Mintos were able to return the favour.

Beau Anholt’s first AAA goal put P.A. out in front early, but Broden Wotherspoon scored the equalizer just a few minutes later to tie it back up. The second period was dominant for the Mintos, where Maxim Cooper, Liam Myhre and Cooper Sawatzky each lit the lamp to extend the lead to 4-1.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Yorkton didn’t go down without a fight where they managed some offence in the third with Poncelet and Pladson both scoring again, however, Jaden Blanchette remained strong between the pipes in the final minutes to hang on for the 4-3 victory, the first of the season for P.A.

The Mintos were in action again on Tuesday in their first home game of the season, taking on the Saskatoon Contacts.

Noah Gibson got the party started early in the opening period with his first goal in AAA, which was followed by a goal from Davey Fisher to pull Saskatoon back to even. After a scoreless second, Sawatzky potted his second goal in as many games in the third to P.A. back in front. That would eventually become the game winner as the Mintos took down the Contacts, 2-1.

Prince Albert returns to the ice on Sunday when they head to Saskatoon to face the Blazers. Puck drop is set for 4:45 p.m. at Rod Hamm Arena.

Battlefords bests Northern Bears in P.A.

The Mann-Northway Northern Bears didn’t have quite the start as the Mintos did.

P.A. dropped back-to-back games to the Battlefords Sharks to start the season, ending 4-1 on Saturday and 5-2 on Sunday.

Down 3-0 in the second of Saturday’s game, Andie Marshall netted her first at the AAA level to cut into the deficit, however, that was as close as the Bears would come. Brooke Weber tallied the lone goal in the third period for the Sharks to restore the three-goal lead, and down the Bears 4-1.

Game two was much of the same as the Sharks were hunting early and often. Battlefords netted three goals within the first 10 minutes of the contest to go up 3-0, before Jersie Andersen scored her first of the season to begin the comeback for the Bears. After no change in the score in the second, Battlefords both restored and extended their lead in the third with markers from Danika Dureau and Anneka Aspaas. Marshall scored with 4:08 remaining to breathe some life into the Northern Bears, but it wasn’t enough as the Sharks swept Prince Albert to open the season.

The Northern Bears are back in action Wednesday, taking on the Rebels in Regina before heading to Weyburn on the weekend to face the Gold Wings.

—

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

On Bluesky: @loganlehmann.bsky.social