Bobcats Falter on Day Three against Fairbanks
September 14, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release
BLAINE, MN - In a rematch of the 2010 Robertson Cup Finals, the Bismarck Bobcats dropped their second straight contest, falling 4-1 to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs Friday at the tenth annual Combat Hockey NAHL Showcase.
The first period belonged to the Ice Dogs, who outshot the Bobcats 12-2 in the opening frame, but couldn't break through Bobcat goalie Bryan Nies until there was 1:21 to go in the period, when a long, knuckling blast from Fairbanks forward Kyle Lee deflected off Nies' blocker and in to post the defending West Division champs to a 1-0 edge after one.
Fairbanks doubled their lead to 2-0 just 2:36 into the second with a power play strike from Jacob Hetz, who cashed in a short 2-on-1 rush with Jakob Romo for his first goal of the year.
A goal on the rush by Devin Loe 5:33 into the second extended the Ice Dogs' cushion to 3-0, as the Bobcat defense screened Nies, who couldn't track Loe's ice-level shot.
Sam Coborn put the Bobcats on the board 68 seconds later, winning a battle for the puck at the front of the net with Ice Dogs defender Jacob Weisman and twisting it in past Fairbanks netminder Steve Perry to slice the lead to 3-1.
Not only did Coborn's first junior hockey marker spoil Perry's shutout, it snapped his run of five straight periods without allowing a goal to open the 2012-13 season.
The Bobcats were then whistled for consecutive penalty shots and while Nies denied Lee on his free break, Logan Wendling was able to beat the Bobcat goaltender with a backhander to boost Fairbanks to the final 4-1 margin.
Nies made 22 saves but suffered his first loss of the year to fall to 1-1-0 on the young season; Perry needed just 15 stops to improve to 2-0-0 in 2011-12.
Though the season is just three games deep, the loss drops the Cats below .500 for the first time since October 24, 2009, when they were 6-7-2.
The Bobcats will try to get their record back to break-even Saturday as they close out the Showcase against the South Division powerhouse Topeka Roadrunners with a 3:30 PM puck drop.
Saturday's Showcase finale 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 3:00.
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.
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North American Hockey League Stories from September 14, 2012
- Wild Improve to 3-0 at Showcase Tournament - Wenatchee Wild
- IceRays Fall to Jamestown 4-1 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bulls Drop 2-1 Decision in Shootout to Port Huron - Amarillo Bulls
- Bobcats Falter on Day Three against Fairbanks - Bismarck Bobcats
- Jacks Top Brown Bears in OT for Season's First Win - Odessa Jackalopes
- Tomahawks Announce First Annual HockeyFest on September 29 - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Robbie Payne leads Kalamazoo scoring attack - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Record Number of Scouts Witness Exciting Day 2 of NAHL Showcase - NAHL
- Bruins Win First of Season - Austin Bruins
- Bulls Fall to Wenatchee Wild 5-3 - Amarillo Bulls
- Comeback Win Falls Short in a Shootout 3-2 - Corpus Christi IceRays
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