Bobcats Extend 1st Place Lead with Sweep of Wings
The Bismarck Bobcats were back on home ice this weekend to take on the Aberdeen Wings, a team they’ve only seen twice this year.
Looking at Friday night, the Bobcats got themselves in penalty trouble early, committing 3 penalties in the 1st period. This allowed the Wings to get some offense going, but in the first minute and a half of the contest, Aberdeen found the back of the net with a nice snap shot from their leading goal-scorer Leo Bulgakov. The Wings would be unsuccessful on the ensuing 3 power plays during that period due to some stellar penalty killing by the Bobcats. Coming into that contest the Bobcats were just 8-12 on the penalty kill in the last 3 games. It’s safe to say the Bobcats are back on track. Toward the end of the 1st period, the Bobcats would be awarded their first power play of the contest, but would not convert. The Wings would take the 1-0 lead into the intermission as they outshot the Bobcats 7-3 in the opening period.
The 2nd period was a bit more stagnant. The Bobcats would receive two more opportunities on the man advantage, but unfortunately did not register a shot on either of them. That would take the Bobcats power play to 0 for its last 12. Offensively, the 2nd period was a much better period for Bismarck as they registered 7 shots to Aberdeen’s 6. The Wings would still take the 1-0 lead heading into the 3rd period. This would be just the 2nd time at home that the Bobcats trailed heading into the 3rd period.
The 3rd period saw a big spark of energy from the Bobcats. The crowd, the bench, everyone, felt that Bismarck was on the precipice of finding the back of the net. Midway through the period, Tommy Cronin and Julian Beaumont went through the neutral zone on a 2 on 1, Cronin threw it across to Beaumont who went high-blocker to tie the game at 1. The crowd erupted and it was just a matter of time before the Bobcats took the lead. Charlie Sandven just 71 seconds later made a beautiful neutral zone read, picked off a pass, and wired a howitzer off the post and into the back of the net giving the Bobcats a 2-1 lead. Aberdeen wouldn’t go away without a fight. With the goaltender pulled in the last two minutes they poured on the pressure. Bismarck, up to the task, was blocking shots left and right. Goaltender Tomas Anderson was making some great second and third chance saves in the blue paint. In the dying seconds, the buzzer sounded and the puck crossed the line, the Wings celebrated as they thought they tied the game late, but the head official emphatically waved his arms signaling time had already expired before the puck fully crossed the line. The Bobcats held on for the 2-1 victory.
Saturday night, the Bobcats 1st period was one of the most defensively dominant 1st periods of the season as they limited the Wings to just 1 shot on goal for the entire period. The Bobcats would get on the board first as Jakub Kopecky deflected the puck just under the bar just 6 seconds into the 1st power play of the game for Bismarck to make it 1-0 Bobcats. Bismarck would receive another power play in the period, but would not convert. Bismarck outshot Aberdeen in the opening frame 7-1.
The 2nd period was a high-power offensive period as it would be the Wings striking first as the 6’6 Kyle Murray Smith stood net-front and notched his 1st career NAHL goal to tie the game at 1. However, what stands out in the period was the response from the Bobcats. 3 minutes later Kopecky found himself at the front of the net and pounded home the 2nd chance opportunity to give the Bobcats the 2-1 lead back. Bismarck would not be denied again, as Wyatt Sypniewski toe-dragged around a defender and was stopped on the initial shot on the breakaway, but found the back of the net on the rebound attempt to give the Bobcats their first multi-goal lead of the weekend. Then at the 13:58 mark of the period, the Wings would be assessed a major penalty, as Gustas Zemaitis cross-checked Calle Arvedson in the back of the head while he was down on the ice. Zemaitis along with the major penalty was sent to the showers early, as his night was done. The Bobcats would strike on that power play as Josh Lehto found the twine, giving the Bobcats the 4-1 lead heading into the final frame.
Aberdeen did not go down without a fight in the 3rd period, getting some O-zone pressure to start, but the lack of discipline of the Wings cost them again. Cade Moxham at the 9:00 mark delivered an illegal check to the head of Bobcat Forward Gabe Kenne, meaning he was given a 5 minute major and ejected as well. Bismarck would strike on the man advantage once again as Lehto sniped one for his second of the night. The Bobcats would go on cruise-control for the rest of the period, and take the contest by a final score of 5-1.
The Bobcats improve to 27-4-2 on the season and Tomas Anderson improves to 19-2-2 on his campaign this year.
The Bobcats are back on home ice, this Friday and Saturday to take on the St. Cloud Norsemen. Puck drop is set for 7:15 P.M. both nights. Get your tickets by logging onto BismarckBobcats.com or call the Bobcat Hotline at 390-7422.