ONALASKA, WI — Fresh off a first-round upset of Alexandria, the Bismarck Bobcats will hit the road this weekend to open the Central Division Finals against the Coulee Region Chill starting with Game One Friday at the Omni Center.
The Cats advanced by pulling the only upset by a four-seed league-wide by dumping the regular season division champion Blizzard in five games while the second-seeded Chill held serve over the #3 Owatonna Express in four.
In seven regular season meetings, the Bobcats were 3-4-0 against the Chill.
\”After seeing Coulee Region through the regular season, we know that they are a talented team and we respect how dangerous they are,\” said Bobcats forward Nikolaj Rosenthal, who had three assists in the Cats\’ first round triumph. \”We aren\’t too worried about our regular season record against them though, since the regular season is over.\”
The home team in the regular season was a combined 2-4-1 in the series.
Matt Gates, who scored a goal in each of the Bobcats\’ first-round wins, leads the Cats in goals with three while Danny Ray tops the Bismarck charge with five points (G, 4 A).
The Bobcats went with goalie by committee as Tommy Burke racked up a pair of first round wins with a 1.71 GAA and a .946 SV% while future St. Cloud State netminder Ryan Faragher made 45 saves in the Game Five clincher.
Mercyhurst recruit Zac Frischmon led the Coulee Region charge in the divisional semifinals, racking up four goals and two assists–including two game-winning tallies–in four games as the Chill dumped the Express.
\”Zac is a heck of a player, and he\’s had a great year,\” noted Bobcats head coach Layne Sedevie, who coached Frischmon at the 2011 Top Prospects Tournament for Team Central, \”but it would be a mistake to focus just on him with all the talent the Chill have in guys like Connor Gaarder, Berkley Scott, David Ripple, Lucas Dillon, Micky Knox… the list just keeps going of all the talented players they have.\”
Aaron Davis nailed down all three Chill victories in the opening round with a 2.16 GAA and a .927 SV%.
Game One gets under way Friday at 7:00 PM at the Omni Center, with Game Two to follow at the same time Saturday.
Friday\’s Division Finals opener 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.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2011-12 season! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 or email gobobcathockey@aol.com for more information on reserving your seats for next season!
BOBCAT HOCKEY
2010 ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONS