The Bismarck Bobcats hosted the Watertown Shamrocks at the VFW for the final two regular season meetings between the two teams.
The Bobcats wasted no time getting on the board as Fanda Broz took matters into his own hands, made a great individual play as he pulled it between the defender’s legs and ripped one short-side on Mason Gudridge to make it 1-0 Cats. Watertown would find the response late in the period on a great play in front of the net. The game remained tied 24 seconds until the Bobcats made an incredible passing play as Veszi Lippai tapped the puck home into the open net for his 5th of the season to make it a 2-1 contest. The Cats would take the 2-1 lead into the intermission.
The 2nd period was once again the period of the Bobcats as they would strike 3 times in the middle frame. It would be Mark Evans banking the puck into the back of the net south of the goal line to make it a 3-1 contest. Just minutes later Patch Cronin would make a beautiful move to the backhand and roof it under the bar to make it a 4-1 game. Evans would strike again on the power play later in the period on a shot from the line that took a deflection off of a Watertown stick in front. Bismarck would take a commanding 5-1 lead into the 2nd intermission.
Watertown would finally strike back just about 8 minutes into the period to cut the deficit to 3, but we would remain at 5-2 up until the dying minutes of the game as Alex Lunski struck on the power play to restore the 4-goal lead. The Shamrocks would strike in the final seconds and the game would end 6-3.
Bryce Francisco notched the victory stopping 15/18 that came his way.
Moving ahead to Saturday’s contest, for the first time in a while it would be the opposing team striking first on the Bobcats. Justin Obrochta on a net-front scramble was able to find the back of the net on the power play to make it 1-0 just 2 and a half minutes into the contest. Scoring would stagnate and Watertown would take a 1-0 lead into the break.
The 2nd period saw the Bobcats get the better of the chances, as they outshot the Shamrocks 10-5 in the middle period but neither team was able to find the back of the net, despite opportunities on the power play and 4 on 4. Watertown would still lead 1-0 into the 2nd intermission.
Moving to the 3rd period, it was all Watertown. Evan Hazelberg stood tall stopping all 11 shots in the final period and had some dandies in there as well. As time ticked down it looked as if all was lost for the Cats and they would be shutout for the 1st time this season. With the goaltender pulled, and just 19 seconds left, the Bobcats got bodies to the front of the net and Teddy Richardson hacked the puck into the back of the net and the sold out crowd at the VFW erupted into a frenzy. This would send the game into overtime and the Bobcats would clinch a playoff spot by gaining a point in the standings.
Moving to overtime, it began a bit sloppily for the Bobcats, but that wouldn’t matter. It would be Richardson once again, just over 2 minutes into the overtime period skating into the right wing circle and postage stamping one in the top right corner to deliver the win for the Bobcats!
Hazelberg stopped 21/22 in the victory and looked phenomenal.
The Cats are back on home ice this upcoming weekend to take on the Aberdeen Wings! Be sure to get your tickets at tickets.bismarckbobcats.com or call/text the Bobcat Hotline at 701-390-7422!