Bobcats Survive Rubber Match in Overtime
MINOT, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats fended off a third-period rally from the Minot Minotauros to persevere for a 2-1 overtime win Saturday at Maysa Arena in game ten of the Subway ND Cup.
Through nearly two periods, the two rivals battled to a scoreless deadlock that was broken with just two seconds remaining in the middle frame when Bobcat rookie Kevin Ness cashed in a 2-on-1 with Nick Alexander, punching a close range snap shot through the legs of Minot netminder Lucas Murray to make it 1-0 Bobcats after two.
Shortly after a Minotauro power play went by the boards, Derek Frentz ripped a low shot through traffic that beat Bobcat goalie Severi Isokangas five-hole to knot the game at one with 7:43 left in regulation.
Minot peppered Isokangas with scoring chances after the equalizer, the newly acquired backstop held the fort to force overtime.
In the bonus stanza, Matej Murin created a 2-on-1 with Tobias Fladeby that saw the Slovakian center send a shot from the left-wing circle that Murray had trouble corralling; Murin was able to chase down his own rebound and poke it home, lifting the visitors to a 2-1 victory with 2:56 left in OT.
Isokangas made big save after big save, piling up 31 stops to go 2-1-0 in his first weekend with the Cats. Murray took the overtime loss, turning aside 18 of 20 Bobcat attempts.
Now the Bobcats turn their attention to a two-game home weekend against the Brookings Blizzard starting Friday with a 7:15pm puck drop.
Tickets are now on sale for both games of the home weekend: fans can buy and print tickets online 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com or charge by phone at 222-3300.
Friday’s home clash 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 6:45pm.
Pro-rated 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.