ANN ARBOR, MI – Bismarck Bobcats goaltender Ryan Faragher stopped all six shots he faced and picked up the win as Team Central rattled off five unanswered goals to rout Team South 5-1 at the 2010 Top Prospects Tournament at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube Tuesday.
With the Central Division trailing 1-0 with 9:50 remaining in the second period, Faragher replaced Alexandria Blizzard netminder Chris Kamal and watched the Central’s potent attack steal the show against the dangerous South Division representatives.
Ryan Bohrer (North Iowa Outlaws) pulled the Central even with 6:20 left in the middle frame, touching off a blitz of Team Central scoring.
37 seconds after Bohrer’s goal, fellow Outlaw Tyler Klein tallied his first of two goals to give the Central the lead for good.
The Bobcat representatives got their first point at the highly scouted event 1:17 after Klein’s go-ahead score when Bismarck captain Casey Kleisinger found Alexandria Blizzard winger Steve Zierke wide open on the back door of the South Division net—Zierke finished the play to put the Central up 3-1.
Just 25 seconds after Kleisinger got the ‘Cats on the Top Prospects scoresheet, defenseman John Avino picked up the Bobcats’ first goal in Ann Arbor, roofing a high-slot shot over South goalie Dan Sullivan, capping a four-goal second period for the Central with 3:00 left in the frame.
Avino also finished plus-two on the night in the plus/minus column.
The Central’s five goal outburst hit its crescendo with 6:45 left to go in regulation with Klein’s second of the night giving Team Central the 5-1 final margin.
Team Central will take its shot at a Top Prospects Tournament sweep Wednesday with a 12:00 PM contest against the North Division. Team North is also 2-0-0 at Top Propsects following a 5-2 trouncing of Team West earlier Tuesday.
2010 marks the third year of the NAHL’s Top Prospects Tournament. Nearly 30 players who participated in last year’s second-annual Top Prospects event eventually secured D-I scholarships.
Each year, the six-game showcase draws in over 100 collegiate and professional scouts, making it one of the most highly scouted hockey events in the country.
The rest of the Bobcats are busy preparing for their Friday contest at Owatonna on January 22nd—a 7:00 PM faceoff against the second-place Express at the Four Seasons Centre.
Friday’s game will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide at BismarckBobcats.com via B2 Networks. The pre-game show starts at 6:30 PM.
You won\’t want to miss any of the games this season, so order your Season Tickets, Family Packs and Group Nights today by calling the Bobcat Hockey Office at 701-222-3300 or by e-mailing the office for more information at gobobcathockey@aol.com.
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