Minnesota Blizzard weekly summary
October 20, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Alexandria Blizzard News Release
(Alexandria, MN) The Minnesota Blizzard achieved two notable feats, in winning three games this past weekend. In Saturday night's home opener, the Blizzard nudged past Helena, for their first home win ever over the Bighorns. The overtime thriller also gave Minnesota a record above .500 for the first time in franchise history. In its inaugural season, the Blizzard reached the .500 mark one time, but never had a winning record, at any point, during the season. In the midst of a seven game stretch in a nine-day span, the Blizzard earned six points in the team standings, through the first three games of the busy stretch.
Friday, 10/15/04: Minnesota raised its record to 2-0 versus Bismarck in 2004-05, using early scoring punch to help subdue the Bobcats, 4-3. Sean Fish (Ramsey, MN) got the scoring started, with a power-play goal at 7:31 of the hockey game. Andrew Olson (Alexandria, MN) and Bobby Kuehl (St. Paul, MN) assisted, on the tally. Bismarck tied the game midway through the period, but Defenseman Mark Horbacz (Mora, MN) gave the Blizzard the lead for good, at 15:43, with assists from newcomer Josh Frider (Moorhead, MN) and Dan Swanson (Menomonie, WI). As the Blizzard operated on the power play late in the period, Defenseman Paul Henderson (Menomonie, WI) popped a shot past Bobcats Goalie Matt Koenig, to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead. That margin would hold until the final period, when Bismarck twice cut the Blizzard lead to a single goal. However, between the two Bobcats' scores, Rylan Galiardi (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) scored Minnesota's fourth goal, getting assists from Ryan Hawkins (Eden Prairie, MN) and Shawn Bitzan (Alexandria, MN) at 11:29 of the third period. In the nets for Minnesota, Clay Nestor (Glenwood, MN) stopped 37 shots, to get his first victory in the Junior ranks.
Saturday, 10/16/04: Finally, the Blizzard had the chance to play a game, without having to travel! The fans were treated to an exciting contest, with the Helena Bighorns providing the opposition. Neither team had a lead of more than one goal, all night. Ryan Hawkins gave the home team the lead at 10:08 of the first period, assisted by Mark Horbacz and Shawn Bitzan. The Helena Bighorns came out with determination in the middle period, scoring three times. The Blizzard countered, with an even-strength goal by Sean Fish at 12:57 (assisted by Dan McCauley (Blaine, MN) and Andrew Olson), plus Olson's power-play goal, with 26 seconds left in the period, coming off assists from Paul Henderson and Fish. Helena scored early in the third period, to re-take the lead, but Josh Frider's first goal in a Blizzard uniform with just under nine minutes to go knotted the affair at four. Overtime was needed to settle the contest, and Fish, Minnesota's Captain for the month of October, buried the puck past Chad Beiswenger at 1:07 of the overtime session. With the victory, Minnesota raised its record to 4-3-0 on the season....the first time ever, that the Blizzard enjoyed a winning record during a season. In 2003-04, Minnesota's inaugural season, the Blizzard was never able to go over the .500 mark. The loss meant that Helena walked away from the Runestone Community Center in Alexandria disappointed for the first time. In 2003-04, Helena won all four games versus the Blizzard that were played in Alexandria. Overtime is a concept the Bighorns might wish to stay away from, for a while. Helena subsequently dropped another 5-4 overtime decision the next day (Sunday, October 17th), at the hands of the Fargo-Moorhead Jets.
Sunday, 10/17/04: The Blizzard needed more than a five-minute overtime to decide their first Sunday game of the season, versus Bismarck. Success was found for Minnesota in the shootout. Regulation and overtime ended, with the Bobcats and Blizzard tied at two. Third period goals by Ryan Hawkins (assisted by Joey Eichstadt (Bemidji, MN) and Andrew Olson) and Shawn Bitzan (with assists from Hawkins and Rylan Galiardi) enabled the Blizzard to twice rally, from one-goal deficits. Neither team scored in the extra five-minute overtime. In the shootout, only four rounds were needed. Marcus Paulson (Eden Prairie, MN) was terrific in the Blizzard net during the shootout, especially after Bismarck's first sniper in the shootout plowed into him after the opening shot, causing many Blizzard fans and team members to express their displeasure, feeling that the action by the Bobcats' player was intentional. In the third round of the shootout, Hawkins found the back of the net, then moments later, Galiardi sealed the deal, with a shootout goal of his own. The win caps one of the best weekends in club history, as Minnesota stands in second place in the NAHL Western Division, with a 5-3-0 record. The Blizzard's 10 points put the team three points behind division leader, Fargo-Moorhead.
Ahead, for the Blizzard: The pace of the Blizzard schedule really picks up this coming week, with four games in as many days, in the NAHL Showcase, Blaine, MN. This year, the Showcase has been expanded to 32 teams, and includes franchises from the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL). Minnesota's first Showcase game Wednesday afternoon is with Wichita Falls, TX of the NAHL. The puck will drop on/about 2:00, at the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine. The other three games for Minnesota in the Showcase will be contests versus EJHL teams. At the Super Rink Thursday afternoon at 2:00, the Blizzard will face the Green Mountain (VT) Glades. Then, the Bay State Breakers, out of Massachusetts, will oppose the Blizzard, in Friday afternoon's 12:30 tilt. The Blizzard will wrap up its Showcase schedule at 10:30 Saturday morning, against the Capital District (NY) Selects. Saturday's game will be played at Fogarty Arena in Blaine....the three other games will be played at the Super Rink. Saturday's action will complete a stretch of seven games in nine days for Minnesota, spanning two weekends.
Hope to see you soon, as a Minnesota Blizzard Hockey game! It's fast-paced, exciting action. If you want to see hockey played at a high level, then you should make it a point, to see the Blizzard! The next home game in Alexandria will be Friday, November 5th, when the Fargo-Moorhead Jets make their first appearance at the RCC, for 2004-05. The next night, November 6th, the Blizzard will reach out even further into greater Minnesota, with a "home" game versus Bismarck, at the Fergus Falls Fairgrounds Arena. The November 6th appearance of NAHL hockey in Otter Tail Country is sponsored, in part, by the Fergus Falls Hockey Association. For further information on upcoming Minnesota Blizzard action, call the Blizzard, at (320) 763-1413, or log onto the team's web site, www.minnesotablizzard.com.
Adjustment in the Blizzard web address: Now, you have two options, as you are surfing the internet, as to which address to log onto. You can log onto the web address above, or you can let your fingers be busy at the keyboard, and log onto the traditional Minnesota Blizzard e-mail address: www.centralminnesotajuniorhockey.com.
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