The Bismarck Bobcats returned to the VFW Sports Center to kick off a six-game homestand as they took on the Minnesota Mallards.
It was a wild opening 10 minutes for the Bobcats as they scored 4 goals in a span of 8:23. It all began with Mark Evans as he got to the front of the net to pop the rebound home and make it a 1-0 contest just 80 seconds in. Nick Snyder would join the fun, notching 2 goals in a span of 40 seconds for his 4th and 5th goals of the regular season to extend the lead to 3-0. Noah Ziskie would then find the back of the net midway through as he tucked home a rebound past Adam Kimbrel who came in relief after Connor MacKenzie let up the opening 3 goals of the contest. Bismarck would take a 4-0 lead heading into the intermission.
The Mallards would finally get on the board just over 5 minutes into the 2nd period as Bryce Wiitala capitalized on a 2 on 1 and went bar-down on Bobcat netminder Bryce Francisco who was making his NAHL debut on Friday. The Bobcats would regain the 4-goal advantage toward the end of the period as Ben Rakowski advanced on a breakaway and deked past the goaltender before tucking it home into the back of the net to make it 5-1. The Cats would take that lead into the 3rd period. Shots through 2 periods read 27-20 in favor of Bismarck.
Just under 8 minutes into the period the Bobcats advanced on a 2 on 1 as Haydon Eckart sauced a pass across to Camden Alemond who worked forward on the breakaway as he found the back of the net to give the Cats the 6-1 lead. The Mallards would strike within the last minute of the game, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Bobcats skated away with the 6-2 win.
Francisco was outstanding in his NAHL debut stopping 30 of 32 that came his way to notch his 1st career NAHL victory.
Moving ahead to Saturday’s contest, it would once again be the Bobcats striking first as Oscar Jonsson ripped a puck from the top of the left-wing circle and found the back of the net just 2 and a half minutes into the period. Just 2 minutes later, Ziskie would notch his 2nd of the weekend on the power play from the same spot Jonsson scored, but via the one-timer. It would then be the Mallards turn to answer back as Talan Del Signore would score his 1st career NAHL goal on a rebound in front of Evan Hazelberg. Evans would answer back on the breakaway seconds later pushing the puck past the pad of Kimbrel to restore the Bobcats multi-goal lead. Bismarck would lead going into the intermission 3-1. Shots on goal after the opening 20 minutes read 10 a side.
Heading to the 2nd period. The injury bug would continue as Hazelberg would be removed from the game and Francisco would come in relief. it would be known as the Alemond period as he notched both goals of the period, making it 5 goals in his last 3 contests. Both of his goals came on the man advantage as the Bobcat power play was RED HOT on Saturday. Bismarck would take a commanding 5-1 lead heading into the 2nd intermission.
Moving to the 3rd period, the Cats once again struck on the power play just 3 minutes into the period as Alex Lunski notched his 1st goal in a Bobcat uniform on Saturday at the front of the net to make it a 6-1 game. The Mallards would strike back minutes later as Ryan Lucarelli notched his 1st career NAHL goal, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Bobcats skated away with the weekend sweep with a pair of 6-2 victories.
The Cats are back on home ice this upcoming weekend to take on the Watertown Shamrocks! Saturday is the annual Brave the Shave night at the VFW Sports Center! Be sure to get your tickets at tickets.bismarckbobcats.com or call/text the Bobcat Hotline at 701-390-7422!