BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats sat shellshocked as the Alexandria Blizzard celebrated a three-game sweep at the VFW Sports Center, falling 3-2 in the shootout Saturday night—every Bobcat, that is, except one: head coach Layne Sedevie.
Sedevie was incensed at head official Jordan Solomon, who had originally waved off Steve Zierke’s fifth-round shootout goal but was talked into a review with his linesmen by Zierke and reversed the call, allowing the goal. Video replay showed clearly that Bobcat goalie Tommy Burke had successfully poked the puck away from Zierke, by rule ending the chance.
So Sedevie stood at the rail of the Bobcat bench, barking at the head official about the decision to overturn the initial call.
“Our guys just deserved better tonight,” Sedevie remarked. “[Solomon] was standing right on top of the play and had the best look, but he asked the linesman who had no angle on the play. I just don’t know how you can do that. I don’t get it.”
Danny Ray had a chance to restore the shootout tie in the fifth round but, after beating goalie Jake Williams, rolled his low shot wide of the left post, ending the game and dropping the Bobcats to their season-high fourth straight loss (0-2-2).
Goals from Alexandria’s Alex Altenbernd and Tucker Coborn had installed the visiting Blizzard to their fourth 2-0 lead over the Bobcats in as many games, but the Cats started their rally early in the second when Nikolaj Rosenthal fired a wrist shot across his body, beating Williams low glove and cutting the lead to 2-1 just 6:37 into the middle frame.
Frank DeAugustine forced a 2-2 tie six and a half minutes later, collecting a Dalton Spicer rebound on the power play and firing it past an out-of-position Williams with 6:57 to go in the middle frame.
Williams and Burke held firm through a defensive third period and the teams deadlocked in overtime as well, forcing the decisive shootout.
The teams traded goals in the first four rounds, with Brent Bain scoring for the Blizzard and DeAugustine answering for the Bobcats. The Cats also hit the crossbar twice on shootout attempts by Rosenthal and Charlie Mosey.
Burke lunged out and poked the puck off Zierke’s stick in the fifth round, but Zierke put the puck back in past Burke in the confusion for the highly disputed game-winner—his third of the week against the Bobcats.
“I know I got the poke,” said Burke, who made 26 saves in his first start as a Bobcat, “and the video shows it pretty clearly. I can’t dwell on it though because there are plenty of other games where we can get it back.”
Williams was credited with 15 saves but won for the fourth straight time against his former team.
The Bobcats look to snap their longest slide of the year on a three-game road trip against the Austin Bruins and Coulee Region Chill starting Friday with a 7:35 PM start at Riverside Arena against the Bruins.
Friday’s road contest will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide at http://nahl.fasthockey.com/. As with all away games during the 2010-11 season, fans are encouraged to view the game at Reza’s Pitch—the official away game Home of the Bobcats—at the corner of Third and Front in Bismarck. Pre-game coverage will begin at 7:05 PM CT.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2010-11 season! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 or email gobobcathockey@aol.com for more information on reserving your seats for the entire season as the Bobcats look to defend the Robertson Cup!
BOBCAT HOCKEY
2010 ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONS