Bobcat Weekend Preview: Home-and-Home Redux for Cats, Blizzard
Matchups: Bismarck Bobcats (7-10-0, 5th Central) vs. Brookings Blizzard (6-6-3, 4th Central)
Games: Friday, November 7, 7:15pm; Saturday, November 8, 7:15pm
Place: VFW Sports Center, Bismarck, N.D. (Friday); Larson Ice Center, Brookings, S.D. (Saturday)
This Year: Bobcats and Blizzard tied 1-1-0
All-Time: Bobcats lead Blizzard 14-8-2
Radio: SuperTalk 1270 AM, 6:45pm, both nights
Internet TV: http://NAHL.FASTHockey.com, 6:45pm, both nights
BISMARCK, ND – Coming off a split of a home-and-home series last weekend, the Bismarck Bobcats and Brookings Blizzard will face off in another two-game set with rotating home sites this weekend starting Friday at the VFW Sports Center.
In the first go-round, Brookings shocked the Bobcats with a 2-1 home win that saw Brookings score with 28 seconds left for the win; the Cats held serve at home Saturday, exploding to their best offensive output of the season in a 7-3 victory.
Though the season is less than two full months deep, Bobcats Layne Sedevie knows that the series could have long-ranging effects on the Central Division standings.
“You look at our division right now, and Brookings is just one point ahead of us and only seven points between first place and last,” advised the fifth-year bench boss, “so one weekend can turn the whole race around. And November games count exactly the same as the ones in March when they count the points at the end of the year.”
Brookings returns to the VFW Sports Center with high-end firepower in tow: Zack Glienke (9), Beau Michaud (6) and Viktor Lindell (6) lead the Blizzard in goals and all three proved dangerous against the Bobcats, combining for four tallies—including a power play goal, a shorthanded goal and Friday’s game-winner—out of Brookings’ five on the weekend.
The Bobcats proved more balanced, getting eight goals from six different players, but only two from the top line of Evan Giesler, Harrison Aide and Alex Strand. Giesler provided both of those goals in Saturday’s win.
Friday marks the third home game in a stretch that will feature nine out of 13 at the VFW Sports Center. Through four total home games, the Bobcats are 2-2-0.
In net, Sedevie expects to rely on the tandem of Alex Bitsakis and Hunter Shepard; though Bitsakis got the win Saturday on 20 saves against the Blizzard, Shepard only allowed two goals but took the tough-luck loss Friday. Brookings relied on netminder Eric Hancock both nights: the North Royalton, Ohio, native went 1-1-0 with a combined 41 saves against the Bobcats.
Tickets are now on sale for Friday’s home contest: fans can buy and print their tickets 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com or charge by phone at 222-3300.
Live coverage of the weekend opener will begin Friday 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!
