The Bismarck Bobcats had a fun filled week, playing 3 games in 4 days, all against the Minot Minotauros.
Beginning with Wednesday’s contest at the VFW Sports Center for New Year’s Eve, the Bobcats would tally the opening goal of the contest as Ben Rakowski snuck one under the bar and over the shoulder of goaltender Devin Rustlie. Minot wouldn’t take long to respond, however, as just a minute later Dane Ramirez would find the back of the net for the Tauros to equalize the game. The sellout crowd once again got behind the Bobcats as late in the period the Cats would strike twice within 2 minutes. Charlie Kresl and Fanda Broz, both once again went over the right shoulder of Rustlie and found the back of the net to make it a 3-1 contest and signal the end of the night for the Minot goaltender. Caden Meringa would come in relief following Broz’s goal.
Moving to the middle frame, the Tauros would open the scoring in the 2nd as Arseni Vorobyov fired one past Marko Bilic to make it a 1-goal game once again. Bismarck continued to pressure, as they notched 14 shots in the middle frame. While on the power-play it would be Noah Ziskie ripping one home to make it 4-2 Bismarck, which would be the score heading into the 2nd intermission. The Bobcats limited Minot to 7 shots in the 2nd period.
While the scoring would slow down to start the 3rd, the offense certainly didn’t Throughout the final period, between the two teams there were 25 shots on goal, 15 to Minot, 10 to Bismarck. Veszi Lippai would be the next goal scorer for Bismarck as he lasered one into the back of the net off of an initial shot block. The Tauros would make it interesting, scoring in the last 3 minutes of the contest, but Camden Alemond tapped in a back-door feed just a minute later to give the Cats the 6-3 victory.
Bilic stopped 30/33 that came his way to notch the victory.
Moving ahead to Friday’s contest which took place in Minot. It was a dominant 1st period from the Bobcats, holding Minot to just 3 shots in the opening period and just one in the final 16 minutes of the frame. Bismarck conversely fired 11 shots toward the net, but Meringa shut them all down, in what was his 1st career NAHL start. The game would enter the 1st intermission scoreless.
Following into the 2nd period, while on the power play, the Bobcats would break the tie. Cooper Williams received a back-door feed on a net-front scramble and put it home into the empty net to make it a 1-0 Bobcat lead. The scoreline would stay that way for the next 10 minutes, until the Cats tallied another power play goal. This time it would be Alemond with his 2nd in as many games, taking the puck along the goal line and tucking it in off the far-post. The Bobcats would pour salt on the wound in the last minute of the period as Mark Evans saw traffic out in front and fired one over Meringa’s shoulder to tighten the stronghold the Bobcats had and make it a 3-0 hockey game heading into the 3rd period.
Bismarck would continue to find the back of the net in the 3rd period. Just 3 and a half minutes in, Ziskie would tally his 3rd goal in 3 games to extend the Bobcat lead to 4-0. 2 minutes later, Jordan Mayo used his speed to get around the defender, got around the goaltender’s paddle and backhanded the puck home for his 1st career NAHL goal. However, the Tauros were still fighting despite being down 5-0. They would tally 2 goals in 2 and a half minutes to make it a 5-2 hockey game with 11 minutes remaining. Later in the period, Bismarck would stop the momentum as Patch Cronin moved forward on the breakaway and worked it around the pad of Meringa to put the game out of reach.
Bilic with another impressive performance stopped 27/29 in the win.
Finally, looking at Saturday’s contest, the scoreline would be the same after 20 minutes, neither team found the back of the net, however, Minot was able to string together a much better 1st period and outshoot the Cats 12-11.
Taking a peek at the 2nd period, the offense slowed down for both teams, but it would be the Cats outshooting Minot 9-6. The deadlock would finally be broken with just under 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd period as Eddie Revenig found some open ice and ripped it just under the crossbar to give the Bobcats the 1-0 lead heading into the 3rd period.
Once again the scoring would stalemate until the dying minutes. With just under 4 minutes to go, Royce Pietila would spring Kresl forward into the offensive zone and Kresl made no mistake finding the back of the net short-side to double the Cats lead. Williams would tack on the empty net goal and the Bobcats would skate away with the 3-0 victory.
Marko Bilic notched his 1st shutout of the season and the 5th in his NAHL career, stopping all 28 that came his way.
The Cats will be back on the road next weekend to take on the St. Cloud Norsemen Friday and Saturday, before returning to home ice the 16th and 17th to take on the Austin Bruins! Tickets are on sale for all Bobcat home games by heading over to tickets.bismarckbobcats.com or you can call/text the Bobcat hotline at 701-390-7422.