BLAINE, Minn. – The Bismarck Bobcats finished the 2026 NAHL Showcase with a 2-1 record against Fairbanks, New Mexico and Anchorage, thanks to stellar goaltending and a breakout performance from Brenden Espenell.
Game 1 vs. Fairbanks
Bismarck kicked off this year’s Showcase with a fantastic defensive battle against the youngest team in the league this season in the Fairbanks Ice Dogs.
It was a back and forth contest between the two talented squads, with Cade Bell scoring his first of the season for Bismarck halfway through the first period before Fairbanks got one back on the rush four minutes later thanks to a good step-up from defenseman Mason Serafin.
Neither team could get any traction in the middle frame, and it was even more tightly contested on special teams, as both teams went 0-for-6 on the man advantage thanks to stellar goaltending from Izaak Kalis and Linus Vieillard.
In a game as close as this one, it was going to be a seeing-eye shot that beat one of the netminders, and Dean Andrews’ shot halfway through the third period ended up being the difference maker for Fairbanks as they secured the 2-1 victory.
Game 2: vs. New Mexico
After losing their first game, the Bobcats made no mistake in the Thursday matinee game against the Ice Wolves, with a complete defensive masterclass from top to bottom.
Brenden Espenell got the scoring started with a power-play goal at the 12 minute mark of the opening period, and Bismarck took that lead into the locker room.
Caleb Debruyne snuck on past Easton Thvedt on a deflected shot from the blue line to tie things up in the second period, and it felt like once again the next goal would be the difference maker.
That next goal would come from another defenseman, this time from Danny Browning for Bismarck, and a late insurance goal from Maddox Malmquist would secure the 3-1 victory for the Bobcats and Garrett Roth’s 100th career win as the bench boss for the beige and black.
Game 3: vs. Anchorage
Roth’s squad had their best performance to round out the 2026 NAHL Showcase, emphasized by a fantastic third period to pull away from the Wolverines.
Espenell once again got the scoring started on the power-play in the first period for Bismarck, and a goal halfway through the second period from Carson Clukies doubled the lead.
Anchorage wouldn’t go away quietly however, as Aiden Lawson scored a power-play goal to snap a streak of 22 straight penalties killed to start the season for the Bobcats.
Despite the surge from the Wolverines, the Bobcats put up a three-spot in the third period, including two goals from Espenell to secure his first career NAHL hat-trick and the second one already for Bismarck through five games this season, and walked away with a 5-1 victory and a 2-1 record across the four-day event.
Bismarck rolls into their home opener this coming weekend against Watertown after a Showcase with six goals from the blue line and only eight goals against on the year, the best mark in the league alongside Fairbanks.