Bobcats Return to Austin in Search of Road Success
Matchup: Bismarck Bobcats (8-5-1) vs Austin bruins (5-7-1)
Games: Friday, November 4, 7:05pm; Saturday, November 5, 7:05pm
Venue: Riverside Arena, Austin, Minn.
Season Series: Bobcats lead Bruins 3-1-0
All-Time: Bobcats lead Bruins 31-21-4
Radio: SuperTalk 1270 AM, SuperTalk1270.com and the radioPup smartphone app, 6:35pm both nights
Internet TV: http://NAHL.FASTHockey.com, 6:35pm both nights
AUSTIN, MN – At just 1-2-1 in their last four games away from home, the Bismarck Bobcats head back to Riverside Arena Friday and Saturday for their second away series against the Austin Bruins.
“We’ve played well at home, but if you want to succeed in the Central Division, you need to be able to get points on the road,” explained Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, whose team is 2-2-1 overall in road games. “Our effort hasn’t been consistent enough away from home, so playing in a barn like Riverside will show if our guys have learned from their mistakes the last couple road trips.”
A 2-1 win for the Bobcats on October 15 snapped a five-game skid (0-3-2, including playoffs) at Riverside that dated back to March 11 of this year.
Of specific concern to the Bobcats in two losses last weekend at Aberdeen was the penalty kill, which had risen into the league’s top ten at a rating above 80%, allowing four of the nine goals the Wings scored.
“Special teams were not good in Aberdeen. Our ‘PK’ really struggled Friday,” surmised Sedevie, whose team gave up three straight power play goals to the Wings in Friday’s 5-2 defeat. “We got caught puck-watching and allowed some easy goals that wound up being the difference in the game, including the game-winner.”
Parker Mismash, honorable mention for October’s NAHL Forward of the Month, continues to lead the Bobcat attack with 19 points (8g, 11a) in 14 appearances. Tobias Fladeby and Matt Barry—Mismash’s linemates—are also averaging north of a point per game with 16 points (7g, 9a) in 14 games and 15 points (7g, 8a) in 13 starts, respectively.
Austin Winger Logan Haskins has been particularly productive against the Bobcats, registering three goals and two assists—half of his 10 points—in the teams’ four meetings.
Friday’s tilt 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 6:35pm.
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.