BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats saw a two-goal second period lead evaporate but Dominic Panetta came through in the clutch, scoring 1:08 into overtime to deliver a 3-2 victory over the North Iowa Outlaws Saturday at the VFW Sports Center.
Panetta, who also scored the overtime-winner against the Outlaws on New Years Day, took a perfect back-door pass from Ryan Jacobson and popped a snap shot over sprawling Outlaw netminder Paul Moberg, giving the home team their 31st win of 2009-10.
“Ryan and I have been linemates all year,” said Panetta, “so I knew as soon as he got into the zone to go hard to the net because he was going to get me that puck—I never had a doubt. He put it on my tape and I had a wide open net to shoot at.”
Following a scoreless first period, the Bobcats came out hot in the second period as forward Aaron Quick ripped a 10-foot rising shot over Moberg’s glove 3:27 into the middle frame, posting the ‘Cats to a 1-0 lead.
The goal gives Quick five points in eight games since coming to the Bobcats from the Wichita Falls Wildcats in January.
“The play happened so fast that I didn’t really have time to aim,” said Quick on trying to pick the corner of the net. “I just wanted to make sure to hit the net and as I got it off I thought to myself, ‘Oh wow that was a pretty good shot!’”
Tim Serratore followed up 43 seconds later for the Bobcats, beating Moberg high glove in a similar fashion to Quick, putting the home side up 2-0.
The Outlaws answered 50 seconds after Serratore’s goal when Cole Meyer took a backdoor feed on a 2-on-1 from Ryan Bohrer and stuffed a one-timer past Bobcat netminder Ryan Faragher to chop the lead to 2-1.
After Meyer’s goal, the second period fell into a mire of penalties on both sides—with neither team being able to score—that culminated in Bobcats head coach Byron Pool’s ejection from the game after being assessed a tier 1 gross misconduct for abuse of officials by referee Andrew Wilk.
The third period started scoreless as well, with neither team being able to break through until Outlaw defenseman David Mylrea sprung Bohrer for a short-handed breakaway late in regulation which the North Iowa captain converted into his 10th goal of the season, tying the game with 2:20 left in the final frame, setting the stage for Panetta’s heroics.
Faragher—who did not face another shot after Bohrer’s marker—reclaimed a share of the league lead with his 19th win behind 23 saves on 25 Outlaw attempts.
Moberg was the tough-luck loser for North Iowa, turning aside 36 Bobcat shots but falling to 8-15-3 on the year.
The win boosts the Bobcats’ (31-9-8, 70 pts) Central Division lead to twelve points over the second-place Owatonna Express (27-18-4, 58 pts); the Express fell 4-3 at Alexandria Saturday. By forcing overtime, the Outlaws (13-26-6, 32 pts) managed to extend their lead for fourth place in the Central to five points over Albert Lea (11-30-5, 27 pts).
With only ten games left on the regular season schedule, the Bobcats return to action on Friday with a 7:30 PM contest against the Albert Lea Thunder at Albert Lea Arena.
Friday’s game will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide at BismarckBobcats.com via B2 Networks. The pre-game show starts at 7:00 PM.
You won\’t want to miss any of the games this season, so order your Season Tickets, Family Packs and Group Nights today by calling the Bobcat Hockey Office at 701-222-3300 or by e-mailing the office for more information at gobobcathockey@aol.com.
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