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NAHL North Iowa Bulls

Bulls Slip into Saturday Night Win Column Again, 4-3 at Bismarck

January 23, 2022 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
North Iowa Bulls News Release


North Iowa Bulls Dylan Gajewski (foreground) and Jack Mesic
North Iowa Bulls Dylan Gajewski (foreground) and Jack Mesic
(North Iowa Bulls, Credit: Alissha Ames)

BISMARCK, N.D. - Winning consistently on Friday night is something the North Iowa Bulls are still working on. A minor adjustment here, a tweak or two there, and a good night of sleep, though? It's worked wonders for the Bulls going into their Saturday games.

The Bulls have won six of their 16 outings on Friday nights this season, with the Bismarck Bobcats taking a roller-coaster 9-7 win from North Iowa in their most recent Friday night outing. North Iowa responded for a 4-3 win on Saturday night at the V.F.W. Sports Center, giving them their 10th win in 17 games to close out a weekend.

It took a few tries, though, before the Bulls were able to climb into the lead for good. Bismarck fought back in the first period, responding to Jake LaRusso's power play goal at 15:34 of the opening stanza with one of its own, a point-blank tally from Brady Egan 64 seconds later after driving the puck in front of the net for a backhand chance.

The second period? Same result. Jack Mesic scored 2:29 out of the break to give the Bulls the 2-1 lead, but Patrick Johnson notched a power play goal of his own with 8:17 left on the clock, just 20 seconds into a power play on a checking-from-behind call against Greg Japchen.

In the third period, though, the lead stuck - a right-wing shot from Dylan Gajewski sneaked through Oskar Spinnars Nordin, wandering into the back of the net at 6:51 for a 3-2 lead. That lead became a permanent lead with 6:30 remaining, when Byron Hartley zipped a puck past Spinnars Nordin on his glove side, despite a response from Brady Egan just 33 seconds later.

Spinnars Nordin left for the bench with 1:02 remaining, and despite several shots at the Bulls' net in the final seconds, Hunter Garvey slammed the door to lock up another Saturday night success.

Gajewski factored into all of North Iowa's first three goals, picking up two assists to go with his go-ahead goal in the third, and Jack Campion had two assists. Egan had two goals for Bismarck, his first two goals in the North American Hockey League after debuting for the Bobcats last weekend against the Aberdeen Wings, while Jon Ziskie added two assists.

Garvey picked up his 12th win of the season for the Bulls, making 32 saves to push North Iowa to a 17-13-1-4 record for the year. Spinnars Nordin made 14 saves, taking the loss for the first time in four meetings with the Bulls, as Bismarck dropped back to 13-20-1-2.

North Iowa gears up for a three-game weekend, starting with Thursday night's home game against the St. Cloud Norsemen before a weekend pair at Aberdeen on Friday and Saturday. Thursday's game at the Mason City Arena gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

North Iowa 1 1 2 - 4

Bismarck 1 1 1 - 3

1st Period-1, North Iowa, LaRusso 6 (Gajewski, Campion), 15:33 (PP). 2, Bismarck, Egan 1 (Ziskie), 16:38. Penalties-Gajewski Nio (roughing-minor), 6:39; Michaels Bis (roughing-minor), 6:39; VanRooyan Bis (tripping-minor), 14:51.

2nd Period-3, North Iowa, Mesic 7 (Campion, Gajewski), 2:29. 4, Bismarck, Johnson 10 (Pietila, Chmelevski), 11:43 (PP). Penalties-Mexico Nio (hooking-minor), 3:25; Japchen Nio (checking from behind-minor), 11:23; Mesic Nio (high sticking-minor), 16:32; Potter Nio (roughing-double minor), 16:32; served by Larsen Bis (unsportsmanlike conduct-minor), 16:32; served by Larsen Bis (unsportsmanlike conduct-gm), 16:32; Michaels Bis (roughing-double minor), 16:32; Troumbly Bis (slashing-minor), 17:02.

3rd Period-5, North Iowa, Gajewski 12 (Potter), 6:51. 6, North Iowa, Hartley 11 (Dombrowsky), 13:30. 7, Bismarck, Egan 2 (Ziskie, Rudrud), 14:03. Penalties-Troumbly Bis (roughing-minor), 7:59; Mesic Nio (slashing-minor), 16:08; Michaels Bis (unsportsmanlike conduct-10 minute misconduct), 20:00.

Shots on Goal-North Iowa 6-6-6-18. Bismarck 10-10-15-35.

Power Play Opportunities-North Iowa 1 / 3; Bismarck 1 / 3.

Goalies-North Iowa, Garvey 12-9-1-4 (35 shots-32 saves). Bismarck, Spinnars Nordin 5-3-0-1 (18 shots-14 saves).

A-975

Referees-Eric Arrigo.

Linesmen-Andrew Bartholomay, Odin Nelson.





Images from this story

North Iowa Bulls Dylan Gajewski (foreground) and Jack Mesic
North Iowa Bulls Dylan Gajewski (foreground) and Jack Mesic

(Alissha Ames)
  



North American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2022


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