Written by: Brian Gornick, Bobcat Content Writer
With the NAHL playoffs just over two months away, fans can start to get a feel for how the bracket for the Robertson Cup Playoffs will shake out. As it currently stands two weeks into February, the Bismarck Bobcats have been consistently one of the best teams in the league, and are second in the league with a 32-7-1-1 record.
While second in the league with 66 points, behind the Lone Star Brahmas with 71, the Bobcats have entrenched themselves at the top of the Central Division. This weekend however, the Bobcats could be dethroned in a big matchup with the Minot Minotauros. The Minotauros are second in the Central Division, and are only three points back behind the Bobcats.
Looking at the matchup, the Minotauros are riding a huge wave of momentum going into this home-and-away series. The Minotauros have won their past 11 games, while the Bobcats are coming off a series split last weekend against the Aberdeen Wings.
Putting the Bobcats and the Minotauros side by side, they are strikingly familiar in how they are built. The Bobcats have six players with ten or more goals scored, the Minotauros have seven. Their goal differential is also very close, the Bobcats with +69 and the Minotauros with +85. Both teams also have a strong, established goaltender. Tomas Anderson has been a steady presence in net for the Bobcats, boasting a .933 save percentage on the season. Minotauros Lukas Swedin has a season save percentage of .946.
With both teams looking like mirrors of one another, how can the Bobcats attack them to keep their hold on the Central Division?
One thing the Bobcats must do in this weekend’s matchup is control the passing lanes on defense. The Minotauros thrive on their attacking forwards setting up scoring opportunities that keep the goalie and opposing defenses out of position. This aggressive offensive style makes it so hard to prepare against the Minotauros, as opposing teams don’t know who will be the next scoring threat to tee in on.
An offensive game plan centered around team effort and smart passing gives them a huge boost in scoring, and it shows on the stat sheet. In a list of the top 25 skaters in the NAHL in points, five of those are Minotauros skaters. These players are on all lines for the Minotauros, so each line will have to play their part to contain that offense. If they can control the lanes, they can make the Minotauros one-dimensional and control puck control.
Another situation the Bobcats need to be wary of if they want to beat the Minotauros is to not allow them to get an early lead. The Minotauros have allowed four less goals on the season than the Bobcats, both second and third in the league in goals against, respectively. Their defense and stout goaltending allows them to sit on any lead they get. In the midst of their 11 game winning streak, only twice have they allowed a goal in the third period, both times when the game was already out of hand for the opponent.
If the Bobcats can control the puck time and stop the Minotauros from running out to an early lead, they can hopefully take care of business this weekend. In a season where they control their own destiny, the margins of error begin to get slimmer. This weekend’s matchup will be a huge litmus test for how the Bobcats will finish the season, and hopefully enter the playoffs with a division title.