Bobcats’ Rally Falls Short in Robertson Cup Rematch
BLAINE, MN – The Bismarck Bobcats could not dig out of a three-goal hole Friday as they could not complete a furious comeback in a 4-2 loss to the Wichita Falls Wildcats on the third day of NAHL Showcase action at the Schwan Super Rink.
Wichita Falls struck first Friday as winger Ryan Burnett tallied a shorthanded goal 11 minutes into the game, beating Bobcat goalie Will Ulrich with a backhander in transition to make it 1-0 for the Wildcats.
In the second, the Wildcats got some breathing room when forward Steven Tillie used traffic in front of the net to zip a wrister over Ulrich’s right shoulder for a 2-0 score with 15:14 to go in the frame.
That lead would grow to 3-0 at the 11:48 mark as center CJ Regula sent a low backhander that bounced off Ulrich and in.
A major penalty would turn the tide in the Bobcats’ favor late in the second, starting when Tobias Fladeby one-timed a cross-ice pass from Jared Resseguie inside the right post with 3:51 remaining in the period to get the designated home side on the board.
Just 2:49 later—on the same major power play—former Wildcat Parker Mismash drew the Bobcats within one, lacing a slap shot that Wichita Falls netminder Evan Moyse could not track through traffic to cut it to a 3-2 contest.
After repeated Bobcat forays to the net in the third period came up empty, second-year Wildcat center Aleksi Poikola put the game out of reach with 5:05 left, striking in transition on a pass from Burnett for the final margin of 4-2.
Ulrich stopped 26 shots but could not avoid slipping to 1-2-0 on the young season. Moyse turned in 40 saves for his third win of 2016-17.
The Bobcats will close out Showcase play at 6:00pm Saturday when they face a former divisional foe in the Minnesota Magicians.
Saturday’s Showcase finale will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270 AM, and worldwide on FASTHockey.com–the web television partner of the North American Hockey League–with pregame coverage starting at 5:30pm.
Season tickets are now on sale for the Bobcats’ landmark platinum anniversary campaign: fans can get more information or reserve their seats for all of Season Twenty now by calling 222-3300.