The Power of Four

Nov 20, 2012

 

Fourth Line Big as Bobcats Storm by Wings

BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats got a lift from their fourth line, who sparked a three-goal rally that carried the Cats to a 4-1 win over the rival Aberdeen Wings Wednesday at the VFW Sports Center to open a busy Thanksgiving week.

Matt Anders, Johno May and Terry Hennen, listed as the fourth unit on the depth coming into the night, picked up a goal and three assists combined to spark the Bobcats Wednesday.

“They sure didn’t play like a fourth line,” credited Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, whose team bounced back to move to 10-10-1 on the 2012-13 season, “they had great energy and for the first time all year Matt (6’2”) and Johno (6’4”) both played to their size. They played big.”

Tied 1-1 through 20 minutes of play, the Bobcats seized a 2-1 lead 8:54 into the second period on an offensive zone faceoff win by Anders that May tapped back to blueliner Levi Blom; Blom pulled the puck to the middle that deflected off an Aberdeen defender and in past goalie Marcus Zelzer.

Anders doubled the lead to two goals 4:44 later, taking a long lead pass from Joe Hockert and streaking past the Wings defense before blasting a snap shot past Zelzer’s glove to make it 3-1 in favor of the home side.

“We’ve been waiting to see which rookies want to step up and be that big time contributor,” noted Sedevie, who has rotated seven different first-year skaters through his lineup in the last three games, “and each night we’ve had different guys step up. Tonight it was Matty and Johno; now we need someone to do it consistently.”

In the third period, the Bobcat penalty kill put the clamps on Aberdeen, neutralizing three Aberdeen power plays in front of goalie Aaron Nelson to keep the pesky Wings at bay.

On the night, the Cats’ successfully killed off all six Wings power plays.

Wings head coach Pete Sauer pulled Zelzer late to try and merit some extra offense for a rally, but the Bobcats repeatedly denied zone entry to the visitors in the final two minutes.

Patrick Moore collected his second goal of the night with 30 seconds left, carrying an outlet from Blom to the Aberdeen blue line and flipping the puck into the empty net to give the game its final score of 4-1.

Moore was also responsible for the first goal of the game, digging out a Hockert rebound on the power play and extending it around Zelzer and in with 11:14 to go in the opening frame.

Aberdeen pulled even 2:02 later as Heinz Koster trailed a 2-on-1 rush for the Wings and one-timed home a drop pass from Peter Kreiger for a 1-1 score heading into the first intermission.

The Bobcats continue their holiday week extravaganza as the Minot Minotauros pays their first visit of the 2012-13 season for the Cats’ fourth-annual Thanksgiving Day game before a home-and-home set against the Brookings Blizzard, rounding out the week with a home date with the second-place Blizzard on Saturday.

Tickets for all both games are on sale by calling the Bobcat Box Office at 222-3300; fans can buy and print tickets online right now at BismarckBobcats.com.

Thursday’s Turkey Day rematch from last weekend will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM, and worldwide on the official internet television partner of the NAHL, FASTHockey, at http://nahl.fasthockey.com.  Pregame coverage gets under way at 6:45 PM.

Pro-rated season tickets for the 2012-13 season are now on sale—and going fast! Call the Bobcat Hockey office today at (701) 222-3300 to reserve your seats for another great season of Championship Entertainment.

TEST