TOPEKA, KS – The Bismarck Bobcats have their backs against the wall in the Robertson Cup Play-in Series after dropping a 1-0 decision to the Michigan Warriors Thursday at Landon Arena.
Scoreless deep into the second period—and moments after Charlie Mosey tipped a short-handed opportunity wide—the Warriors netted what turned out to be the only goal of the game as Tyler Perpich poked home a centering feed from Brad Chapman to give the North Division champs the only goal they would need.
The Bobcats efforted numerous chances at Warriors goalie Rob Tadazak in the third, but could not break the Lapeer, Mich., native’s spell—getting shut out for the first time in the entire 2010-11 season.
Netminder Ryan Faragher held the Cats in early as the Warriors hit him with a barrage of shots in the first ten minutes of the game to outshoot the Central champs 10-2 in the game’s opening stages.
A late first-period power play gave the Bobcat offense life, but they couldn’t solve Tadazak, whose superior positioning helped him make multiple saves on chances that he did not get a good look at.
Following the Warriors’ initial blitz, the Cats outshot the Warriors 25-16.
Tadazak stopped all 27 shots he faced for his seventh playoff victory of 2011 and his second shutout in the postseason.
Fargher made plenty of jaw-dropping saves but couldn’t get enough help from his offense to avoid his third playoff loss in two years.
The Cats must now battle back to win Friday’s Game Two, scheduled for a 7:00 PM puck drop at Landon Arena, of the Play-in round to stay alive and force a decisive play-in game that would immediately follow Game Two.
Friday’s elimination game will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide at http://nahl.fasthockey.com/. As with all away games during the 2010-11 season, fans are encouraged to view the game at Reza’s Pitch—the official away game Home of the Bobcats—at the corner of Third and Front in Bismarck.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2011-12 season! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 or email gobobcathockey@aol.com for more information on reserving your seats for next season!
BOBCAT HOCKEY
2010 ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONS