BISMARCK, N.D.–Seven months of hard work and determination for the Bismarck Bobcats all comes down to two hockey games.
The Bobcats (27-27-4) play a home-and-home series with the Minot Minotauros (28-27-3) to determine the fourth and final playoff spot in the central division. Bismarck must win both games to clinch, while Minot only needs one victory to knock the Bobcats out.
A four-point weekend would, in the Bobcats’ 25th anniversary season, complete their comeback story. Bismarck sat in dead-last on January 1st, with only 9 wins to their credit. The team’s 2022 record is an outstanding 18-9-1, a .661 points percentage. Minot, the club against whom the Bobcats struggled the most in the first half of the year, was the first-place team when the New Year rang in. The Tauros find themselves potentially facing elimination for the first time all season.
Game one is in Minot Friday night, weather-permitting. If the Bobcats win in any fashion, Saturday’s game will be a winner-take-all for the 4-seed. St. Cloud awaits the winner in the first round of the playoffs next week.
The two teams’ most recent series came last month, with both games in Minot. The Tauros scored three third-period goals to win Friday’s matchup. Bismarck rebounded with an overtime win Saturday, their first win at the Maysa Arena in Minot all year.
Limited seats remain for the home contest Saturday. For tickets, call the Bobcat office at 222-3300, or use the tickets menu on the top of our website.