Monday Roundup: Bobcats’ Second-Annual Teddy Bear Toss is Saturday
Last Week:
Friday, December 5: Bobcats 3, Wings 2 (SO)
Saturday, December 6: Bobcats 4, Minotauros 1
This Week:
Friday, December 12: Bobcats at Wings, Odde Ice Center, 7:15pm
Saturday, December 13: Bobcats vs. Minotauros, VFW Sports Center, 7:15pm
Christmas Comes Early
BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats are preparing for their 2014 Christmas Party Night, which will be held Saturday night as they host the Minot Minotauros for a 7:15pm intrastate clash at the VFW Sports Center.
For the second year, Christmas Party Night will be headlined by the Teddy Beat Toss—a minor-league hockey institution at the junior and professional levels—where fans are invited bring stuffed animals to the game and then throw them out onto the ice following the Bobcats’ first goal.
All stuffed animals collected will be donated to local charities and children in need during this holiday season.
During the game there will also be an Ugly Christmas Sweater competition and an appearance by Santa Claus for kids of all ages.
Tickets are now on sale for Christmas Party Night: fans can buy and print tickets 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com or charge by phone at 222-3300.
Getting Defensive
Less than a week after being honorable mention for the NAHL’s Defenseman of the Month, Bobcat blueliner Tony German was named Second Star of the Week for the Central Division on Monday.
In a pair of games against Aberdeen and Minot, the Bismarck native picked up a goal and three assists with a plus-three rating to help the Cats pick up wins over their biggest rivals and pull into sole possession of third place in the division.
German currently holds a season-high six-game point streak, with two goals and eight assists dating back to November 22. Through 28 games this season, German has already surpassed his 2013-14 total for points with 14.
It marks just the second time this season that a defenseman picked up either first or second star for the Central, following Minot’s Casey Johnson, who was last week’s second star.
With four points of his own—plus Friday’s game-winner in the shootout—after returning from a leg injury, Bobcat co-captain Cullen Willox earned honorable mention for the Central Division’s weekly hardware.
Multi-Point Madness
Over a busy weekend, 21 Bobcat alumni picked up points at the college and pro levels, with 12 securing multiple entries on the scoresheet.
The top-scoring alumnus over the weekend was 2012-13 forward Corbin Chapman, who scored and added three assists for Augsburg as the Auggies split a pair of games against 13th-ranked St. John’s.
Sophomore forward Matt Pohlkamp (2012-13) assisted on three goals for Bowling Green to help the Falcons go 1-0-1 against Northern Michigan and advance to #13 in the USCHO.com national poll.
It was three assists each, as well, for Patrick Moore at Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Danny Ray with Wisconsin-Stout.
In the pros, 2006-07 winger Shawn Skelly had two goals—including the game-winner—and an assist Friday in SPHL action as his Louisiana Ice Gators knocked off first-place Pensacola 5-4.
Two-point weekends belonged to Tyler Dunagan (2g, St. John’s), Castan Sommer (1g, 1a, Holy Cross), Frankie DeAugustine (1g, 1a, UMass-Boston), Mike Dockry (1g, 1a, St. Thomas), Mike Fazio (1g, 1a, UW-River Falls), Alex Ach (2a, St. John’s) and Kevin Becker (2a, Augsburg).
Other former Cats to pick up points over the last week include: Ryan Jacobson (1g, Brown); Rory Vesel (1g, Augsburg); Nate Flynn (1g, Augsburg); Stanislav Dzakhov (1a, Niagara); John Furgele (1a, New Hampshire); Huba Sekesi (1a, St. John’s); Joe Giordano (1a, Connecticut College); George Malliaras (1a, St. Norbert).
Another alum with a point in the pros was 2003-05 defenseman, who notched an assist in SPHL play for the Peoria Rivermen.
2009-10 goalie Ryan Massa went 1-1-0 on the weekend, bouncing back from an ugly loss at Miami for a 40-save win to earn Nebraska-Omaha a road split with the Redhawks. Former Bobcat netminder Tommy Burke was in net for Bowling Green in Friday’s 5-5 tie at Northern Michigan.
Coming Up
Before the Bobcats return for Christmas Party Night and the 2014 Teddy Bear Toss, they will play a 7:15pm road game Friday against the Aberdeen Wings at Odde Ice Center.
Through four meetings, the Cats lead the Titan Machinery Dakota Cup points standing over the Wings with a mark of 7-3.
Live coverage of Friday’s road showdown will begin at 6:45pm 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.
Though the 2014-15 season is now under way, there is still time to order season tickets for the year; fans who want to lock in their seats for the entire campaign should call the Bobcat office at 222-3300 today!
