Ulrich Stops 41 as Bobcats Earn Split
AUSTIN, MN – Behind 41 saves from goalie Will Ulrich, the Bismarck Bobcats held off the Austin Bruins 2-1 Saturday to walk out of Riverside Arena with a two-game weekend split.
Unlike Friday’s contest, the Bobcats got the offense going early when blueliner Jiei Halliday picked up his first goal of the year, catching Bruins netminder Alex Schilling out of position and banking a severe-angle shot off the keeper with 3:54 gone in the first to make it 1-0 for the visitors.
Winger Parker Mismash nearly doubled the lead late in the first, but his no-look backhand attempt range the crossbar, keeping the score 1-0 after one.
In the second, center Matt Barry succeeded in padding the Bobcat advantage to 2-0, netting his third goal in three games by tapping in a Kyle Siemers rebound from close range on the power play with 15:20 left in the period.
Austin peppered Ulrich with 21 shots in the third, finally spoiling the Birmingham, Mich., native’s shutout bid with 1:56 left in regulation with Schilling pulled when Jan Stefka ripped knee-high shot through traffic that eluded the Bobcat backstop inside the right post to make it a one-goal game at 2-1.
It appeared that Jarett Mari had potted an empty netter with 20 seconds left for the Bobcats, but the chance was waved off—giving Austin one last push up-ice. The Cats’ defense managed to stall the Bruins’ attack just inside the defensive blueline, bleeding the clock to 0:00 in a wall battle to secure the 2-1 victory.
Ulrich dazzled to improve to 4-4-0. Schilling took the tough-luck loss—his first of the year—despite 22 stops.
“I saw Will make big saves like he did [late in the first on Austin’s Jon Richards] against us all last year, so it was great to see him make them in our jersey [Saturday],” stated Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie. “He had a strong weekend, only giving up three goals in two nights in a tough place to play.”
After two weeks away from the VFW Sports Center, the Bobcats return home Friday to face the Aberdeen Wings at 7:15pm to open a two-game weekend in the capital which will also feature a Saturday meeting with the Brookings Blizzard.
Tickets are now on sale for the Bobcats’ home weekend against their South Dakotan counterparts: fans can buy and print tickets online 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com or charge-by-phone at 222-3300.
Friday’s duel with the Wings will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270 AM, and worldwide on HockeyTV.com–the web television partner of the North American Hockey League–with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm.
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.