OWATONNA, MN – The Bismarck Bobcats overcame two different deficits—including one imposed on them with less than three minutes left—and outlasted the Owatonna Express for a 4-3 overtime win Saturday, sweeping the Express.
It is the first time in the history of either franchise that the Cats have pulled off a two-game sweep at the Four Seasons Centre.
Trailing 2-0 mid-way through the second period, the Bobcats started their long climb back on a power play after Owatonna forward T.J. Christenson was sent off for a dangerous charging penalty on Bobcat defender John Furgele.
On the ensuing power play, forward Nikolaj Rosenthal deked around two Owatonna defenders and slid a cross-ice feed to Matt Gates. Gates rocketed a one-time blast past Express goalie Charles Williams to pull the Cats to within 2-1 with 9:15 left in the second period.
The 2-1 score persisted until over halfway through the third, when the Bobcats found themselves again on the power play. During the man advantage, Pat Coyne attempted to feed Frank DeAugustine with a back-door pass but the puck deflected back to defenseman Tom Rizzardo; as Williams attempted to play the pass to DeAugustine, Rizzardo beamed a 40-foot slap shot that deflected off the goalie’s glove and into the net for a 2-2 tie with 7:25 left in regulation.
Owatonna pulled back ahead at 3-2 late after Gates and DeAugustine were whistled on back-to-back penalties as Nick Widing put back a Ben Persian rebound with 1:54 to go.
The Bobcats regrouped and, following a Beau Burgau holding minor 12 seconds after Widing’s go-ahead marker, pulled Ryan Faragher to skate 5-on-4 with the empty net. On the ensuing faceoff, Dan Zawacki won the puck back to Rizzardo, who threaded a low snap shot through traffic and between Williams’ legs to restore the tie game with 1:39 showing on the third period timer—forcing overtime.
In the extra frame, a Bobcat clear-in bounced off Gates and came to Rosenthal alongside the Owatonna net. Rosenthal pulled free to the low slot and fired a rising wrist shot over Williams’ glove to boost the Bobcats to the 4-3 road victory.
The Express built their 2-0 lead in the first half of the game on a first period goal from Ben Persian and a second period strike from Chris Bournazos.
Bobcat netminder Ryan Faragher made 22 saves on the way to his—and his team’s—fourth straight victory.
Williams was the tough-luck loser for the second-straight night, making 32 saves but slipping to 5-3-2.
Saturday’s win extended the Bobcats’ (10-6-1, 21 pts) first place lead in the Central Division over both the Express (8-7-2, 18 pts) and the Coulee Region Chill (8-4-2, 18 pts).
The Bobcats return to action Friday at 7:15 PM when they open a two-game series at Odde Ice Center against the Aberdeen Wings.
Friday’s contest will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide at http://nahl.fasthockey.com/. As with all away games during the 2010-11 season, fans are encouraged to view the games each night at Reza’s Pitch—the official away game Home of the Bobcats—at the corner of Third and Front in Bismarck. Pre-game coverage will begin at 6:45 PM CT.
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2010-11 season! Call the Bobcat Hockey office at (701) 222-3300 or email gobobcathockey@aol.com for more information on reserving your seats for the entire season as the Bobcats look to defend the Robertson Cup!
BOBCAT HOCKEY
2010 ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONS
Bobcats Sweep Express with 4-3 Overtime Triumph
