BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats will have a chance at franchise history when drop the curtain on their 2011-12 NAHL regular season schedule with home games against the rival Minot Minotauros Friday and Titan Machinery Dakota Cup nemesis Aberdeen Wings Saturday at the VFW Sports Center.
The Bobcats sit tied with three franchise single season records entering the weekend: total wins (43, set in 2008-09); total standings points (88, set in 2008-09); and single-season wins by a goaltender for Tommy Burke (30, set in 2010-11 by Ryan Faragher).
Despite the records available Friday and Saturday, the Bobcats are taking a more playoff-oriented longview of the final weekend of the regular season.
“Our biggest concern this weekend is to start getting in the right mindset for the postseason,” explained Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, whose team is locked into not only the regular season Central Division title, but also the second-best record league-wide. “We need to build to a consistent effort heading into April; we’ve had some bad luck lately, so this weekend we need to show that effort can overcome anything—even bad luck.”
Following a two-game sweep at the hands of the Austin Bruins last weekend, the Bobcats sit mired in their first three-game losing streak of the season on the heels of locking up their third regular season division title in four years.
Seeking to rebound against their rivals from the Dakotas, the Bobcats hope to turn the disappointment of their longest skid of the year into a positive.
“We’re frustrated about the losses, but in a strange way, it could be something we needed,” admitted Bobcats forward Nick Miglio, who notched a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 5-2 loss at Austin. “If we can use it as motivation to play our best hockey when it matters most, then the adversity will be worth it in the end.”
Minot comes to town playing some of their best hockey of the season, having claimed wins in consecutive weeks over Austin and Alexandria.
Aberdeen, on the other hand, enters the final weekend of the season on a three-game winning streak and have returned second-leading goal scorer Steve Obarzanek to the lineup after a lengthy arm injury. Obarzanek, who did not play between February 3 and last Friday, has lit up the Bobcats for 11 of his 26 goals on the year.
With the Bobcats set to face off against the Wings in the opening round of the 2012 Robertson Cup Playoffs, Saturday’s game takes on added meaning as the two sides close out the second year of the Dakota Cup.
“It’s important to send the message, to tell Aberdeen that we’re ready for them in the playoffs,” expressed Bobcats forward Buster Hebda. “We know the level we can play at, and we need to get there this weekend against Aberdeen and Minot.”
Both Friday and Saturday’s games begin at 7:15 PM at the VFW Sports Center, with the Bobcats set to auction off their game-worn jerseys after each game.
Each contest will will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide on the official internet television partner of the NAHL, FASTHockey, at http://nahl.fasthockey.com. Pregame coverage gets under way at 6:45 both nights.
Playoff tickets for the Bobcats’ first-round matchup with Aberdeen are now on sale for Game One April 6 and Game Two April 7! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 to reserve your seats or buy and print your playoff tickets online now at BismarckBobcats.com!