Minot High graduate Mason Morelli scores goal in his NHL debut

By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

MINOT – A player making a debut in the National Hockey League is special enough, but for 2014 Minot High graduate Mason Morelli took the excitement level to new levels as he scored a goal in his first NHL game.

VIDEO: MASON MORELLI OF MINOT SCORES FIRST GOAL IN HIS NHL DEBUT

Morelli, a left winger for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, was called up from the team’s AHL affiliate – the Henderson Silver Knights – to fill out a lineup that has been filled with injuries of late. The Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-0 on Monday, February 19 at the SAP Center in San Jose.

Morelli played a big part in the Golden Knights’ victory as he also assisted on the Knights’ fourth goal of the game in the second period.

Morelli’s goal came at the 19 minute, 12 second mark of the first period and gave the Golden Knights a 3-0 lead.   

Morelli is the first player from Minot to play in the National Hockey League.

Morelli scored 22 goals and 18 assists as a sophomore with Minot High during the 2011-12 NDHSAA boys hockey season. After the season concluded he joined the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL Junior Hockey League and continued to play Juniors, splitting time with the Minotauros and the Fargo Force of the USHL before playing his collegiate hockey at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

He turned pro and played six seasons of minor league hockey before Monday’s call-up. Morelli helped the Hershey Bears of the AHL win the Calder Cup a season ago. Morelli collected 12 goals, 29 assists and 41 points for Hershey during the 2022-23 season.

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