NAHL Showcase Schedule Released, Bobcats to Open Season against Kenai River
FRISCO, TX — The final piece of the Bismarck Bobcats 2018-19 regular season schedule was made known Wednesday as the North American Hockey League unveiled the schedule for the 16th annual NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minn.
Opening day of the Bobcats 22nd season will be Wednesday, September 19, when the Cats take on the Kenai River Brown Bears at 10:30am.
It is the second straight year the Bobcats will face the Brown Bears; in four 2017-18 meetings, the Bobcats went 4-0-0 against Kenai River including their first-ever sweep at the Soldotna Sports Center. Though it will be the 15th all-time meeting between the two teams—the Cats hold a 10-3-1 series edge—it will be their first ever clash at the Showcase.
Day two sees the Cats jump into a prime time slot with a 7:30pm matchup with the Maryland Black Bears, the newest team in the NAHL. As Maryland is an expansion team in 2018-19, there is no history between the two teams but there is still one common thread: the Bobcats traded forward Joe Mancuso to the Black Bears in May, ahead of the 2018 NAHL Draft.
Friday, September 21, the Bobcats will see a former Central Division foe in the Minnesota Magicians for a 5:00pm contest. It will be the Cats’ first contest against Minnesota since a 3-2 loss on the final day of the 2016 NAHL Showcase; all-time, the Bobcats are 6-4-0 against the Magicians but are winless (0-2-0) against them in Blaine.
Showcase play wraps up for the Bobcats on Saturday, September 22, at 12:30pm when they tangle with the Midwest Division heavyweight Janesville Jets. The Cats have not faced Janesville since a 4-1 win over the Jets at the 2014 Showcase—one of just nine regulation losses the record-breaking Janesville team suffered in 2014-15.
Home opening night for the Bobcats will be two weekends after the Showcase, with Minot coming to the VFW Sports Center on Friday, October 5.
The Cats’ 2018 offseason quickly transitions into the run-up to the 2018-19 campaign when players report for Training Camp on August 26.
Season tickets are available for 2018-19 and going fast! Sign up for season tickets at BismarckBobcats.com or text “SEASON TICKETS” to 701-390-7422 for more information.