Bismarck Roars to Top of Central

Published on November 23, 2009 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Motor City Metal Jackets News Release


With points in their last 12 games, including five straight wins, the Bismarck Bobcats have clawed their way to the top of the NAHL's Central Division.

All the more impressive for a team that stumbled out of the gates with a 0-5-2 mark.

"After our seventh game, if you would've told me we could be back near the top of the division before Thanksgiving, I probably would've given you anything," said Bobcats head coach Byron Pool, whose team improved to 12-7-5 on the season.

"Anytime you dig yourself into a hole like that it can be tough to recover, so I'm extremely proud of our guys and the resilience they showed bouncing back. They stayed extremely positive and continued to put their best effort forth every night. It's been a lot of fun to be a part of the turnaround."

The Bobcats rolled off three more wins last weekend, starting with a 2-1 victory over Alexandria on Friday. Ryan Jacobson and Dominic Panetta scored for Bismarck, and goaltender Ryan Massa turned aside 32 shots.

Sam Rendle and Jason Fabian found the back of the net the next night as the Bobcats skated to another 2-1 triumph over the Blizzard. Goaltender Ryan Faragher picked up the win in goal (20 saves).

On Sunday, Nick Jensen put home two goals and Rendle added a goal and an assist in Bismarck's 5-4 victory over the Owatonna Express. Massa stopped 27 shots between the pipes.

"The players have really started to buy into what we want out of them," said Pool of his team's progress. "Their work ethic has increased, they've become stronger defensively and they believe in a team-first philosophy. They've fully committed themselves to becoming the best team they can possibly be."

Rendle has certainly been doing his part. With 14 points through 23 games, the 19-year-old defenseman from Grand Rapids, Minn., has been logging a ton of important minutes on Bismarck's blue line.

"He really brings an element to our game that was missing last year," said Pool. "He really sees the game at a different level. He's our quarterback back there, especially on the power play. He's started to contribute offensively, but has become a lot stronger defensively."

And the Bobcats' good fortunes continue in the crease. After boasting a pair of now-Division I goalies in Matt Grogan (University of Connecticut) and David Bosner (Air Force Academy) last season, Faragher and Massa, both of whom hold save percentages well north of .900, are making their cases as legitimate college recruits.

"Once again, we're blessed," said Pool of his goaltending situation. "These two guys will make you a good coach in a hurry. They put in a lot of hours at and away from the rink making themselves better players. They're very consistent and give us a chance to win every night."

Pool credits his assistant coach, Layne Sedevie, a former Division I and professional goaltender, for helping the tandem evolve.

"He puts in a lot of time with these two guys and it shows with their stats constantly lowering," said Pool.

Coming off a strong postseason and Robertson Cup Championship Tournament appearance last season, Casey Kleisinger has also risen to the occasion. His 24 points (seven goals) leads the team and already bests his point total from a year ago (23).

"He's a guy who brings a tremendous amount of energy and hard work to the rink everyday," said Pool of the 20-year-old from Edwards, Colo. "He's always been extremely strong in his own end and on the penalty kill, but we knew that in order to be a strong team we'd need Casey to produce at the other end and, so far, he hasn't disappointed.

"He's going to make an excellent Division I hockey player."

Speaking of college recruits, the Air Force-bound Fabian, who ranks second on the team in scoring with 23 points, is also proving himself as one of the league's elite frontmen.

"He had a great summer preparing for this season and it's paid off," said Pool. "It'd be scary to see how good a year he'd be having if he didn't miss eight weeks at the end of summer with a broken hand."

After a slow start to his second season, Jensen is another forward who has gotten back on track recently.

"We've started to see the real Nick Jensen the last couple of weekends," said Pool. "When he's on, there aren't too many forwards with his size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) or skill in our league, and that makes him very tough for opposing players to handle."

Tim Serratore is also starting to find his groove, giving the Bobcats a formidable third line while playing a big role on the club's second power-play unit.

"He's a huge part of our hockey team," said Pool.

Bismarck's lone-returning defensemen, Devin Schmitt and John Avino, also earned Pool's praise, both for their exploits on the ice and their leadership.

"For the most part, they've been very consistent and have done a nice job bringing along the young defensemen," said the coach.

Among the newcomers, both Jacobson and Panetta have wasted no time contributing offensively, and Pool has high expectations for forwards Brett Bower, Trent Johnson and Bryce Schmitt.

"I think they're going to have very good second halves for us, not unlike Casey (Kleisinger) and Tim (Serratore) did last year," said Pool.

The Bobcats also got a boost from a recent trade with Wichita Falls that brought forward Sean McKenzie and defenseman Matt Shost to Bismarck.

"Matt gave us another solid, puck-moving defenseman and really added to our depth back there," said Pool. "Sean has been a nice addition to the Fabian-Jensen line. He has great hockey sense and brings a little sandpaper to his game, which is something we were really lacking."

With Fabian the only player with a college deal in place, Pool has little doubt that, with continued success, plenty more Bobcats will have their Division I plans sealed in no time.

"We feel we have a number of players at every position that should be able to play at the next level," said the coach. "It should be a lot of fun to watch them develop the rest of the year."

And Pool doesn't just speak for the Bobcats' college promise, but the entire NAHL.

"Teams like Air Force and Bemidji State, which are loaded with NAHL players, have had great success at the national level in recent years proving that our players can be significant contributors at the next level," he said.

Having played 15 of 20 games on the road since September's NAHL Showcase Tournament, the Bobcats' schedule will only get rosier with more games in front of their home fans.

"The VFW (Sports Center) is such a great place to play," said Pool. "It's a tremendous atmosphere. We typically play in front of capacity crowds, and there's no better place to be than the VFW on a Saturday night. The crowds are large and loud.

"That, paired with the distance teams have to come to play us, gives us a very nice home-ice advantage."

Happy with their about-face since their turbulent start, the Bobcats continue to stress progress as they set their sites on a return trip to the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament.

"The players have to realize that we still need to see a lot of improvement if we want to become a championship-caliber team," said Pool. "We need to continue to get better each and every day. We play the remainder of our games within division, so there's no room for mistakes."

STANDINGS/LEADERS
STANDINGS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/standings.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527

LEADING SCORERS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/scoringleaders.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527

LEADING GOALTENDERS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/goalieleaders.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527

GOALS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/scoringleaders.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527&sortby=g

ASSISTS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/scoringleaders.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527&sortby=a

PLUS/MINUS
http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/scoringleaders.html?leagueid=164&seasonid=4527&sortby=plusminus

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sherwood/NAHL North Player of the Week: Ethan Nauman - Janesville Jets
Janesville forward Ethan Nauman tallied two goals and an assist as the Jets picked up three points in a two-game series against Motor City. On Friday, the Mosinee, Wis., native scored a goal in a 4-1 victory. The next night, the 18-year-old registered another goal and an assist as the Jets fell to the Metal Jackets in a shootout, 3-2. He was also a plus-2 on the weekend.

"Ethan had a great weekend for us," said Jets head coach Dane Litke. "He played in all situations and did very well. He's been a consistent player all season long."

Sherwood/NAHL South Player of the Week: Ryan Stouffer - St. Louis Bandits
St. Louis forward Ryan Stouffer struck for four goals and two assists as the Bandits celebrated a two-game sweep over North Iowa. On Friday, the Souderton, Pa., native recorded a hat trick and assisted on Chris Ciotti's game-winning goal in a 10-3 triumph. The next night, the 18-year-old notched the game-winner and an assist as the Bandits blanked the Outlaws, 6-0. He was also a plus-6 on the weekend.

"Ryan played great two-way hockey and capitalized on his scoring opportunities," said Bandits assistant coach Rocky Russo. "Hopefully, he can use last weekend's performance to build confidence for the six big games we have remaining before the Christmas break."

HONORABLE MENTION: Texas forward Jack Prince; Topeka forward Cole Schneider and defenseman Jacob Poe; Wichita Falls forward Daniel Gentzler

Sherwood/NAHL Central Player of the Week: Sam Rendle - Bismarck Bobcats
Bismarck defenseman Sam Rendle connected for two goals and two assists in three Bobcat victories. After being held scoreless in a 2-1 win over Alexandria on Friday, the Grand Rapids, Minn., tallied a goal and assisted on Jason Fabian's game-winner the next night as the Bobcats skated to another 2-1 triumph over the Blizzard. On Sunday, the 19-year-old put home another goal and an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Owatonna Express. He was also a plus-2 on the weekend.

"Sam gets better and better each weekend he plays," said Bobcats head coach Byron Pool. "He has tremendous poise with the puck and sees the ice extremely well. He's starting to become a regular contributor on the scoresheet, but more importantly he's become rock solid in his own end."

HONORABLE MENTION: Owatonna forward Cory Thorson

Sherwood/NAHL West Player of the Week: James Saintey - Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Fairbanks forward James Saintey rang up three goals and two assists as the Ice Dogs skated to a two-game sweep over Kenai River. On Friday, the Rosemount, Minn., native potted two goals and an assist in a 5-2 victory. The next night, the 19-year-old scored another goal and an assist as the Ice Dogs doubled up the Brown Bears, 6-3. He was also a plus-5 on the weekend.

"James is really turning the corner on his way to becoming one of the elite forwards in the division," said Ice Dogs head coach Josh Hauge. "He has a great ability to finish and has great vision."

HONORABLE MENTION: Kenai River forward Brad Fusaro

NAHL Goalie of the Week: Tyler Bruggeman - St. Louis Bandits
St. Louis goaltender Tyler Bruggeman turned aside all 27 shots as the Bandits blanked the North Iowa Outlaws on Saturday, 6-0. The 18-year-old from Mankato, Minn., is 3-1-1 since joining the Bandits after starting the season in Fairbanks.

"Tyler has been excellent since joining our club," said Bandits assistant coach Rocky Russo. "His save percentage (.961) and goals-against average (0.98) speak for themselves. He works incredibly hard and the team has a great amount of confidence in him right now."

HONORABLE MENTION: Janesville's Matt Wichorek; Motor City's Jason Torf; Texas' Dan Sullivan; Topeka's Eric Rohrkemper

AROUND THE NAHL
ALASKA AVALANCHE: Forward Kyle Pichler (Anchorage) rang up two goals, including the overtime game-winner, in the Avalanche's 3-2 victory over Wenatchee on Friday.

ALBERT LEA THUNDER: Forwards Stephen Obarzanek (Macomb, Mich.) and Niko Kapetanovic (North Prairie, Wis.) scored for the Thunder in its 6-2 loss to Owatonna on Saturday.

ALEXANDRIA BLIZZARD: Goaltender Chris Kamal (Alpharetta, Ga.) turned aside 52 of 56 shots in a pair of 2-1 losses to Bismarck. He leads all NAHL goaltenders with a 1.89 goals-against average.

ALPENA ICEDIGGERS: With Friday's game against Traverse City postponed due to player illnesses, the IceDiggers will play their next five games against the North Stars beginning on Friday.

BISMARCK BOBCATS: Head coach Byron Pool is convinced a favorable schedule ahead will only help his team's progress. "Now we can start focusing on some better practice habits since we're back home in the second half," he said.

FAIRBANKS ICE DOGS: Goaltender Mike Taffe (Maple Grove, Minn.) turned aside 39 of 44 shots to pick up both wins between the pipes against Kenai River.

JANESVILLE JETS: Goaltender Matt Wichorek (Anchorage) allowed only three goals against in regulation and overtime (39 saves) as the Jets picked up three points in a two-game set with Motor City.

KENAI RIVER BROWN BEARS: Forward Brad Fusaro (Soldotna) connected for two goals and two assists as the Brown Bears dropped four games last week. "I'm honored to know a kid who doesn't play to the scoreboard and does his absolute best each day," said head coach Oliver David. "He's a treat to watch."

MARQUETTE RANGERS: With last weekend off, the Rangers will host Motor City for a two-game series beginning on Friday.

MOTOR CITY METAL JACKETS: Goaltender Jason Torf (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) made 28 saves in regulation and overtime and three of four in the shootout as the Metal Jackets bested Janesville on Saturday, 3-2.

NORTH IOWA OUTLAWS: Forward Ryan Boher (St. Paul) added to his team-leading point total (21) with a goal in the Outlaws' 10-3 loss to St. Louis on Friday.

OWATONNA EXPRESS: Forward Chris Bournazos (Naperville, Ill.) connected for a pair of goals in the Express' 6-2 victory over Albert Lea on Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES: Second-year forward Nick Curry (Bettendorf, Iowa) has committed to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Hockey East) for next season.

ST. LOUIS BANDITS: Forward Brooks Bertsch (Dubuque, Iowa) connected for three goals and two assists as the Bandits won a two-game series over North Iowa. He was also a plus-4 on the weekend.

TEXAS TORNADO: Forward Jack Prince (United Kingdom) rang up four goals in regulation and one in Saturday's 5-4 shootout victory as the Tornado skated to a two-game sweep over Wichita Falls. "Jack scored some big goals when we needed them," said head coach Tony Curtale.

TOPEKA ROADRUNNERS: Forward Cole Schneider (Williamsville, N.Y.) connected for two goals and three assists as the RoadRunners celebrated a two-game sweep over Springfield. "Cole has been a consistent all-around player since arriving here in Topeka," said assistant coach R.J. Enga. "His speed and ability to shoot the puck has helped us not only at 5-on-5, but on our special teams as well."

TRAVERSE CITY NORTH STARS: With Friday's game against Alpena postponed due to player illnesses, the North Stars will play their next five games against the IceDiggers beginning on Friday.

WENATCHEE WILD: Forward Michael Di Puma (Chicago) rang up two goals, including the overtime game-winner, in the Wild's 3-2 triumph over Alaska on Saturday.

WICHITA FALLS WILDCATS: Forward Daniel Gentzler (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) tallied two goals and two assists as the Wildcats finished with a 0-1-1 mark against Texas.

THE WEEK AHEAD
Wednesday, November 25
Alpena @ Traverse City, 7:05 pm

Thursday, November 26
Alexandria @ Bismarck, 7:15 pm
Owatonna @ North Iowa, 7:30 pm

Friday, November 27
Bismarck @ Alexandria, 7:00 pm
North Iowa @ Owatonna, 7:00 pm
Topeka @ Springfield, 7:00 pm
Alaska @ Wenatchee, 7:05 pm
Texas @ Wichita Falls, 7:05 pm
Fairbanks @ Kenai River, 7:30 pm
Motor City @ Marquette, 7:30 pm

Saturday, November 28
Albert Lea @ Owatonna, 7:00 pm
Topeka @ Springfield, 7:00 pm
Alpena @ Traverse City, 7:05 pm
Alaska @ Wenatchee, 7:05 pm
Texas @ Wichita Falls, 7:05 pm
Fairbanks @ Kenai River, 7:30 pm
Motor City @ Marquette, 7:30 pm
Bismarck @ North Iowa, 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 29
Traverse City @ Alpena, 3:00 pm
Fairbanks @ Kenai River, 5:00 pm

(all times local)

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS
ALASKA AVALANCHE
Matt Friese - University of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA) *

ALEXANDRIA BLIZZARD
Jordan Gidaro - Western Michigan University (CCHA)
Bryce Ravndalen - St. Cloud State University (WCHA) #
Brett Wall - Lake Superior State University (CCHA)

ALPENA ICEDIGGERS
Ryan Timar - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)

BISMARCK BOBCATS
Jason Fabian - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)
Tony Turgeon - University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA) #

MARQUETTE RANGERS
Kevin Gravel - St. Cloud State University (WCHA) #
Nate Heng - University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA) #
Tanner Kero - Michigan Tech University (WCHA)

OWATONNA EXPRESS
Ben Persian - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)
Jake Youso - University of Minnesota (WCHA)

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES
Jack Callahan - Quinnipiac University (ECAC) #
Randy Cure - Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey)
Nick Curry - University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Hockey East)
Rob Dongara - Northeastern University (Hockey East) #
Trent Frey - Mercyhurst College (Atlantic Hockey)
CJ Groh - University of Alabama-Huntsville (CHA)
Jared Rickord - Bentley University (Atlantic Hockey)

ST. LOUIS BANDITS
Clinton Bourbonais - Yale University (ECAC) #
Michael Gunn - Michigan State University (CCHA)
Brad Smith - Ohio State University (CCHA)

TOPEKA ROADRUNNERS
Kevin Ryan - Niagara University (CHA)
Cole Schneider - University of Connecticut (Atlantic Hockey)

TRAVERSE CITY NORTH STARS
Kelin Ainsworth - Lake Superior State University (CCHA)
Kyle Jean - Lake Superior State University (CCHA)
Andy Huff - Ferris State University (CCHA)
Tyler Marble - Lake Superior State University (CCHA)
Dan Radke - Lake Superior State University (CCHA)

WENATCHEE WILD
Brandon Burrell - St. Cloud State University (WCHA)
Armand De Swardt - Cornell University (ECAC)
Nic Dowd - St. Cloud State University (WCHA) #
Jeff Jubinville - Bemidji State University (CHA)
Adam McKenzie - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)
Alex McLean - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)
Mitch Torrel - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)

WICHITA FALLS WILDCATS
Zach Ledford - Bentley University (Atlantic Hockey)
Aaron Quick - Air Force Academy (Atlantic Hockey)

# alumni
* for 2011-12 season

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 23, 2009


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