Bobcats Maintain 1st Place with Road Split with Bruins

The Bismarck Bobcats hit the road once again for one of the longer road trips of the season to Austin, Minnesota to take on the Bruins in the 2nd series between the two teams this year.  

It would be a high-compete first period, as between the two teams there were 33 shots in the opening period. Just one goal however found the back of the net and that belonged to the Bruins. The Bobcats got caught in a line change, and Gavin Hruza wristed a puck on goal that was initially stopped by Dane Callaway, but the rebound chance hopped over the glove of Callaway and gave the Bruins the 1-0 lead.              

The Bobcats began to take control in the 2nd, but goaltender Jack Solomon, who was the #1 goalie for the Bruins last year, stood on his head stopping all 14 shots that came his way and all 30 that he saw through 2 periods. The Bruins would tack on a late goal from Matsvei Marshchanok on the power play to make it a 2-0 lead heading into the 3rd period.          

The Bobcats would finally solve Solomon 3 minutes into the 3rd period as Charlie Kresl sniped one home on the man advantage to cut the deficit in half. The Bobcats continued to pressure, but committed 2 penalties at the same time, resulting in a 2 minute 5 on 3. The Bruins would convert on the one power play to restore a 2-goal lead. Then on the man advantage in the late stages, the Bobcats struck with the goalie pulled as Royce Pietila sniped the puck home from the hash marks. Bismarck would pull the goalie once again, but time would run out, resulting in a 3-2 Austin win. The Cats outshot the Bruins 25-7 in the 3rd and 55-33 in the contest. 

Dane Callaway stopped 30/33 in the loss, despite having a stellar performance. 

Moving ahead to Saturday’s contest, the Bobcats dressed 11 forwards and 7 defenseman as Veszi Lippai exited the game on Friday with an injury. Once again, Austin would strike first just 2 minutes into the contest on the man advantage sending the teddy bears down to the ice at Riverside Arena. The Bobcats had a response just past the midway point of the 1st on the man advantage as Cooper Williams notched his 19th of the season to tie the game up at one, with a one-timer from the right-wing circle. The game would enter the 2nd tied at 1 with shots reading 11-10 Bruins.   

The 2nd period was such a high-scoring affair. The Bobcats got it started on the power-play as George Poirier deflected the puck home off of a shot from Williams to give the Bobcats the lead. Then Austin would score 3 unanswered goals. A power play goal, a shorthanded goal, and a 5 on 5 goal to take a 4-2 lead with 4:16 remaining in the period. Bismarck got one back in the dying seconds, once again on the power play as Williams notched his 2nd of the night. The game would enter the 3rd period as a 4-3 scoreline in favor of Austin.

The Bruins managed the game well in the 3rd, outshooting Bismarck 12-7, but the Cats generated some great chances. Patch Cronin went coast-to-coast from behind his net, all the way into the zone and tucked it under the pad of Solomon to tie the game up at 4 with 12 minutes remaining. Then with 4 minutes to go, a candidate for goal of the year, Noah Ziskie went between-the-legs and roofed the puck into the net to give the Cats the 5-4 advantage. Bismarck shut down Austin in the last minutes and skated away with the victory. 

After the weekend series the Bobcats move to 16-7-1 on the season and remain in 1st place. Marko Bilic notched his 1st victory in a Bobcat uniform, turning aside 34/38.  

The Cats are back on home ice this Friday and Saturday to take on the North Iowa Bulls! Saturday is Teddy Bear Toss night at the VFW! Bring your new, wrapped Teddy Bears to the VFW and chuck them on the ice after the Bobcats score the 1st goal of the contest! Tickets are available by calling the Bobcat Hotline at 390-7422 or logging onto tickets.bismarckbobcats.com