Bobcats Add Goaltender Althaus for Stretch Run
BISMARCK, ND – With just sixteen games remaining on the 2015-16 regular season schedule, the Bismarck Bobcats have added goalie Nick Althaus to the roster from St. Cloud Apollo High School in Minnesota.
“I’m excited to come play for the Bobcats as the next step in my development,” stated Althaus, a 6-foot-3, 1998 birth-year. “It’s a great team and organization with a great coaching staff and I can’t wait to get started.”
Althaus played five years—stretching back to eighth grade—for the Eagles, amassing a career record 70-26-2 with a 2.12 GAA and a .903 SV%—twice backstopping Apollo to Minnesota’s storied High School State Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center (2013, 2015).
He is also one of two finalists for the 2016 Frank Brimsek Award, given to the top goaltender each year in Minnesota high school hockey; Althaus’ new tandem-mate, second-year Bobcat Hunter Shepard, earned the Brimsek with Grand Rapids in 2014.
“Nick is a big, mobile goaltender with good hands that is going to have a lot of upside that he can bring to our program,” hailed Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, a former goaltender himself. “We’ve been looking at him for two years now, so we are very excited to have him here.”
A unique situation at the roster deadline allowed the Bobcats to add the 18-year-old to their active lineup.
“About a week before the deadline our backup goalie, Nick DeSimone, informed us that it was his wish to go home to Pennsylvania,” explained Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, who then reached out to Althaus to join the team after Apollo’s season had ended. “Fortunately for us, Nick [DeSimone] agreed to stay on as our emergency goaltender for the past couple weeks to help bridge the gap.”
As final 2015-16 rosters were due at the February 6, 11:59pm deadline, Althaus was officially added to the team roster that day but not activated until he reported on Thursday.
The former Eagle will be available for this weekend’s games as the Bobcats host a two-game home weekend against the surging Aberdeen Wings starting Friday at the VFW Sports Center.
Tickets are now on sale for Friday’s home contest: fans can buy and print tickets online 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com, by clicking “Shop Now” on the team Facebook page or charge-by-phone at 222-3300.
Friday’s edition of the Titan Machinery Dakota Cup will be broadcast live locally on SuperTalk 1270, KLXX-AM, the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, and worldwide online at NAHL.FASTHockey.com—the official web television partner of the North American Hockey League—with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm.
Season tickets are still on sale for the 2015-16 season at a pro-rated price; if you want to beat the rush of over 40,000 fans for this year, now is the time! Call 222-3300 to reserve your seats today.