BISMARCK, N.D. – After a 2-1 showing at the NAHL Showcase, the Bismarck Bobcats return to the VFW Sports Center for the first time in the 2026-27 season to battle the Watertown Shamrocks.
After surrendering just four goals across their three-game stint in Blaine last week, Bismarck is tied for the league lead in fewest goals against with eight and boasts one of the league’s top five goal differentials at +14.
Thanks to a four-goal weekend from Merrimack commit Brenden Espenell, the Bobcats’ depth has shown up in bunches to start the season, with 10 different goal scorers and 16 players recording at least one point through the opening handful of contests.
A large part of that depth has been aided by a red-hot special teams unit, which is converting on 37.9% of its power-play opportunities, good for first in the league.
That unit will be tested this weekend, however, with Watertown bringing the lone penalty kill in the league yet to surrender a goal.
The Shamrocks come into town on an offensive tear, outscoring their opponents 15-3 during a perfect 3-0 week at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine.
Led by head coach Casey Kirley, Watertown is coming off its first postseason berth since joining the NAHL in 2024 and will look to return to the postseason once again in a six-team Central Division.
The green and white are led by captain and defenseman Justin Bartley, the current NAHL Star of the Week, who is riding a four-game multi-point streak. Bartley has recorded two goals and 10 points during that stretch.
The Shamrocks will look to turn the tides from last season’s series, when they went 1-7 against Garrett Roth’s squad and were outscored 32-17.
One of the hottest offenses in the league comes to town looking to challenge one of the league’s stingiest defenses in the early stages of the season, setting the stage for a highly anticipated home-opening weekend in front of a near-sellout crowd.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Tickets are still available at tickets.bismarckbobcats.com, while fans can also watch and listen live on NAHLtv.com, SuperTalk 1270 and the free SuperTalk 1270 mobile app.