Omdahl's Pair Lifts Cats in Preseason Opener
Published on September 6, 2012 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release
MINOT, ND - Two goals from second-year forward Shane Omdahl and a late stand on the penalty kill delivered the Bismarck Bobcats a 3-2 victory in their first preseason contest of the 2012-13 campaign over the Minot Minotauros Wednesday at Maysa Arena.
With the game tied late, the Bobcats rode a wave of forechecking momentum in the offensive zone that crested when Patrick Moore hit Omdahl with a centering feed for a point-blank redirect past Minot netminder Ryan Ruck, putting the Cats ahead 3-2 with 2:18 left.
"Shane and Patty finished that play, but a lot of that was set up by the line of [Adam] Knochenmus, [Bob] Kinne and [Joe] Giordano," credited Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie. "Those three kept Minot pinned down for over a minute in their zone and really wore them out, which gave us the time and space to create the game-winner."
It was far from a pleasure cruise to the finish line for the Bobcats, however, as the visitors took a penalty with 1:58 left in regulation, giving the Tauros a chance to come back.
But it was the Bobcat defense that rose to the occasion, stifling Minot's attack-even after they pulled Ruck for an extra attacker-and holding on for the road win.
Following a scoreless first period that saw Ruck and Bobcat goalie Anders Franke steal the show, the Bobcats broke through on the power play with 12:33 left in the second period when Omdahl poked in a rebound off a Nate Repensky shot.
Less than two minutes later, though, the Tauros answered as Darren McCormack put back a Cody Milligan rebound before Franke could recover to the far post, tying the game at one.
"We got a little complacent in our own end and stopped moving our feet," stated Sedevie on the Bobcats' play following Omdahl's first strike. "We got outplayed and probably deserved to lose that period, but we got some good goaltending and kept it tied going into the third."
In that final frame, the Bobcats pulled back ahead during a four-on-four when rookie blueliner Brett Bukowski beamed a rising shot through a screen set by Moore that beat Ruck to the glove side, boosting the black and gold to a 2-1 advantage.
Once again, it proved to be a short-lived lead for the Cats as less than two minutes later veteran Minotauros forward Denis Dalidovich streaked behind the Bobcat defense and whipped a pinpoint backhander over Franke's blocker and under the crossbar to knot the game at two, setting the stage for Omdahl's late-game heroics.
The Bobcats are now 1-0 in the 2012 preseason, while the Tauros dropped their second game in as many nights to slip to 0-2 in exhibition contests.
Preseason action continues Friday for the Bobcats as they pay their first-ever visit to Larson Arena in Brookings, S.D., for an 8:00 PM matchup with the Central Division's newest member, the Brookings Blizzard.
Friday's preseason contest can be heard on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270, KLXX-AM. Pregame coverage will begin at 7:30.
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.
North American Hockey League Stories from September 6, 2012
- Kalamazoo Wins Second Preseason Game - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Amarillo Bulls Host Wichita Falls Thursday in Exhibition Game - Amarillo Bulls
- Bulls Trade Zane Popilock to Brookings Blizzard - Amarillo Bulls
- Omdahl's Pair Lifts Cats in Preseason Opener - Bismarck Bobcats
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