Central Division Finals Preview
April 13, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release
The Bismarck Bobcats (43-13-2, 88 points) will host game one of the best-of-five Central Division Finals against the Owatonna Express (29-24-5, 63 points) on Friday night in the V.F.W. Sports Center. The Bobcats, who won the Central Division Championship in the regular season, were 10-2 against the Express this past season, with four of those games ending in shootout wins for the Bobcats.
Central Division Finals - Best of Five Schedule
#1 Bismarck Bobcats vs. #3 Owatonna Express
Game 1 - Friday, April 17
Owatonna Express @ Bismarck Bobcats 7:00pm
Game 2 - Saturday, April 18
Owatonna Express @ Bismarck Bobcats 7:00pm
Game 3 - Friday, April 24
Bismarck Bobcats @ Owatonna Express TBD
*Game 4 -Saturday, April 25
Bismarck Bobcats @ Owatonna Express TBD
*Game 5 - Sunday, April 26
Owatonna Express @ Bismarck Bobcats 5:00pm
*If Necessary
The Bobcats and Express ended the regular season against one another with the Bobcats winning both games. In the final game of the season, the Bobcats won in a shootout 3-2.
Overall, the two teams are very different in playing styles. Bismarck, who is a gritty team, has balanced scoring from lines one through four and tends to play a more conservative style with defense the focus.
Owatonna is known to be gifted offensively scoring 3.69 goals per game, led by the line of Stephen Carew, John Kruse, and Dan Cecka. However, they were not known to keep pucks out of the net for most of the season, allowing 3.26 goals per game.
The Express started to climb in the North American Hockey League standings after acquiring goaltender Fredrick Bergman from the United States Hockey League's Des Moines Buccaneers. Bergman helped the Express to beat the North Iowa Outlaws in the first-round of the playoffs, earning all three victories needed to advance to the division finals with a .934 save percentage.
Regular Season Team Leaders:
Owatonna Express
Goals: Stephen Carew, Cory Thorson (28)
Assist: Tony McDonald (33)
Points: Stephen Carew (54)
+/-: Stephen Carew (+14)
PIM: Jacob Sloat (88)
Goalie Wins: Jason Horstman (12)
Goal Allowed Average: Fredrick Bergman (2.56)
Save Percentage: Fredrick Bergman (91.6%)
Bismarck Bobcats
Goals: Cody Keefer (28)
Assist: Jordan Singer (27)
Points: Cody Keefer (54)
+/-: John Clark (+38)
PIM: John Avino (125)
Goalie Wins: David Bosner (24)
Goal Allowed Average: David Bosner (1.83)
Save Percentage: David Bosner (93.3%)
You can listen to all the games on Super Talk 1270 AM with the "Voice of the Bobcats," Skip Berry beginning at 6:30pm for the "Dvorak Motors - Pre-Game Show." Also, watch every game online through the B2 Networks.
The Bobcats will host game one and game two of the Central Division Finals against the Owatonna Express this Friday (7:00pm) and Saturday (7:00pm) night in the V.F.W. Sports Center. Purchase your playoff tickets at the Bobcat Hockey office in the V.F.W. Sports Center, online http://tickets.bismarckbobcats.com/ or call (701)-222-3300 for more information.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2009
- Central Division Finals Preview - Bismarck Bobcats
- Phantoms' Second Round Schedule Set - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Wildcats' miracle comeback falls short - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Outlaws' Season Ends...Sort of - North Iowa Outlaws
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