Offense Breaks out as Bobcats Rout Brookings
February 14, 2016 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release
BROOKINGS, SD - A balanced attack helped the Bismarck Bobcats snap out of a two-game funk Saturday as five different goal-scorers contributed to a 5-1 win over the Brookings Blizzard at the Larson Ice Center.
After totaling just one goal in the previous six periods, the Bobcats jumped out quickly Saturday as Tobias Fladeby-behind the Blizzard net-caught Brookings netminder Jacob Gwillim out of position after an aggressive challenge on Harrison Aide and flipped the puck off of Gwillim and in 5:13 into the game for a fast 1-0 lead.
Kyle Sylvester pushed the score to 2-0 on the power play with 4:44 to go in the first, redirecting a point shot from Cole Souto between Gwillim's pads for his third of the year.
Brookings pushed back hard early in the second, outshooting the Cats 11-2 in the first eight-plus minutes of the frame but the next goal would go to the visitors as Souto wired home a crossing pass from Harrison Aide to grow the advantage to 3-0.
Not even a penalty kill could deter the Cats' offense: while Willie Brown served a tripping minor, Alex Strand created a 2-on-1 rush off of a shot block on which he threaded a low pass to Aaron Herdt that the Moorhead, Minn., native cashed in for his second shorthanded goal of the year and a 4-0 margin with 4:14 left in the second.
Herdt's goal ended the night of Gwillim, who finished with 15 saves before being replaced by Josh Kuemichel.
That goalie change sparked the Blizzard offense: moments after ringing the cross bar, Brookings blueliner TJ Samec rocketed a low slap shot through traffic and in, cutting the lead to 4-1 with 2:45 to go in the middle stanza and spoiling Bobcat goalie Hunter Shepard's shutout bid.
Both defenses clamped down in the third: the two teams combined for just nine shots in the final frame.
The only goal of the third belonged to Bobcat center Alex Strand who, similarly to Fladeby in the first, banked a shot from behind the net in off Kuemichel at the 13:37 mark for the game's final 5-1 count.
Shepard racked up 26 saves to bounce back from his first loss of 2016 the previous night with win number 25. Gwillim finished with the loss; Kuemichel made six stops without factoring into the decision.
Saturday's win, coupled with Minot's 4-3 overtime loss in Aberdeen, pulled the Bobcats (26-15-1, 53 pts) right back into a first-place tie with the Minotauros (24-16-5, 53 pts) atop the Central Division.
Now the Bobcats will prepare for a pair of road games against the Minnesota Magicians, starting Friday at 7:15pm at Richfield Ice Arena.
The Bobcats' first-ever visit to Richfield 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.
Season tickets are still on sale for the 2015-16 season at a pro-rated price; if you want to beat the rush of over 40,000 fans for this year, now is the time! Call 222-3300 to reserve your seats today.
North American Hockey League Stories from February 14, 2016
- Graalum's Hat Trick Lifts Wings Past Minot - Aberdeen Wings
- Rebels Win 3-0 over Johnstown - Philadelphia Rebels
- Just Hold On, We're Going Home - Lone Star Brahmas
- Offense Breaks out as Bobcats Rout Brookings - Bismarck Bobcats
- Amarillo Bulls Drop a 5-2 Decision to Odessa - Amarillo Bulls
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