NAHL Bismarck Bobcats

Bobcats Eye Top Seed as Regular Season Concludes in Richfield

Published on April 8, 2016 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release


RICHFIELD, MN - With the Central Division's top seed in the upcoming Robertson Cup Playoffs still in play, the Bismarck Bobcats will close out the 2015-16 regular season with two games against the Minnesota Magicians at Richfield Ice Arena, starting Friday.

Coming into the last two games of the year, the Bobcats (36-18-4, 76 pts) lead Minot (34-18-6, 74 pts) by just two points for the top spot in the Central Division, which comes with home-ice advantage throughout the divisional rounds of the postseason. Minnesota (23-27-8, 54 pts), meanwhile, is tied with Brookings (24-28-6, 54 pts) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central.

The two sides enter the weekend fresh off a pair of one-goal home wins by the Bobcats over the Magicians: 3-2 on Friday in a goal by Alex Strand with 1:38 left in regulation; 4-3 Saturday thanks to a Willie Brown overtime winner.

"When you play the Magicians, they make you earn everything," credited Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, whose team has played four straight one-goal games against Minnesota. "They work so hard and have good speed and talent, so they're never out of a game.

"On top of that, they're right there for that last playoff spot so we expect to face a desperate team; our guys' job will be to match [Minnesota's] intensity for 60 minutes both nights."

Winger Travis Wood had a hand in over half of the Bobcats' seven goals last weekend, striking for two tallies and adding two assists for his biggest offensive performance since submitting a five-point (3g, 2a) week at the end of January.

Goalie Hunter Shepard holds a 33-11-3 record through a league-high 49 appearances to go with a 1.92 GAA and a .927 SV% in his second year in the NAHL.

Mid-season acquisition Michael Wilson had the hot hand for Minnesota against the Bobcats last weekend, scoring in each game for the visiting Magicians. Brady Heppner's goal Saturday gave the second-year forward the franchise record in career goals with 25.

Magicians netminder Will Ulrich is 18-17-5 in his first NAHL season and is ranked third league-wide in saves with 1278.

Friday's contest will be broadcast live locally on SuperTalk 1270, KLXX-AM, the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, and worldwide online at NAHL.FASTHockey.com-the official web television partner of the North American Hockey League-with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm.

Tickets are now on sale for the Cats' run in the 2016 Robertson Cup Playoffs and are already going fast! Fans can buy & print their playoff tickets at BismarckBobcats.com, by clicking "Shop Now" on the team Facebook page or charge-by-phone at 222-3300 during normal business hours.

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North American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2016


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