Outlaws Suffer Second Straight Pointless Weekend
November 24, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
North Iowa Outlaws News Release
Mason City (IA) On a summer day with cool breezes and puffy clouds, a simple bee sting could vault that scene beautiful enough to paint, into a fury of crying, anti-venom shots and swelled up body parts
What began innocently enough with a shutout loss at home on October 24th to end a seven-game unbeaten streak has turned into a slump that has dragged on for a month for the North Iowa Outlaws. The latest set back coming this past weekend when the Outlaws were swept at home by the Bismarck Bobcats to extend their season-long winless streak to five (0-4-1).
North Iowa is just 2-6-1 in the nine games since they briefly moved into a first place tie in the Central Division back on October 18th and now sit eight points back and in fourth place as the season has hit the 1/3 marker.
"The season still has plenty more left and come the end of March (the losing streak) may be a forgotten memory by then, but we do have to get it turned around soon" said Outlaws' head coach Jeff Crouse. "We haven't played poorly, especially in the last four games, but now we need to figure out how to turn that into victories."
This past weekend provided the Outlaws with an opportunity to reverse their backward direction with two home games, but defeating one of the North American Hockey League's hottest teams in the Bismarck Bobcats proved to be a daunting task. Once an automatic two points for the Outlaws, Bismarck has turned into a vicious rival for North Iowa, evening the playing deck which includes wins on Friday and Saturday at the North Iowa Ice Arena.
Bismarck scored first both nights, deflating an Outlaws' team that controlled play in the minutes leading up to that. A fluke goal that came when a point shot hit an Outlaws' defensemen in front gave Bismarck their first goal on Friday, and a pair of strikes in the period's final :21 seconds put the Bobcats up 3-0 heading into the first intermission.
Behind Travis Peckskamp (Sauk Rapids, MN) and Alex Carlson (Farmington, MN), North Iowa rallied, eventually tying the game 4-4 midway through the third period. However, Bismarck's Jeffery Harris completed a four-point night with his second third period goal with seven minutes remaining to save the Bobcats.
On Saturday, again the Outlaws controlled play in the game's first eight minutes but two Bismarck goals separated by :21 seconds midway into the period gave the Bobcats the only tallies they needed in a 2-1 victory.
"On Friday we took the body to them, out shot them and scored four times on (David) Bosner who is very good but couldn't pull it out" noted Crouse. "Bismarck is a good team and deserves credit, but we'll turn this around."
North Iowa is 4-4 versus Bismarck this season, with five more meetings scheduled into the budding rivalry that could very well extend into the playoffs and Robertson Cup.
He weekend sweep gives Bismarck a six-game winning streak and pushes them five games over .500% since the end of the 2005-2006 season, which was their last trip to the playoffs.
Carlson Stepping Up
Veteran Alex Carlson (Farmington, MN) has four points (3g, 1a) in the last four Outlaws games. "Alex is stepping up for us the way a veteran should to try to get his team out of a slump" said Outlaws' head coach Jeff Crouse.
Carlson had the lone goal in the Outlaws' Nov. 15th loss at Springfield, scored twice in the loss on Friday and had the assist on the team's only goal on Saturday.
Not in a While
The ongoing five game winless streak (0-4-1) is the longest such streak for the Outlaws since they opened the 2006-2007 season with six consecutive losses. North Iowa also had separate six-game winless (0-5-1) and losing streaks during the inaugural 2005-2006 campaign.
In Danger of Falling Below .500%
With a 9-9-2 mark, North Iowa enters this week with three games and a chance to fall below .500% for the first time since they were 2-3-0 after September this season. If they were to fall below .500% this week it would be the latest in a season the Outlaws were under that mark since the end of the 2005-2006 regular season.
Salvation Army Kettle Ringing
The sounds of the holidays are varied but universally remembered is the clanging of the little red bells for the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign and once again the North Iowa Outlaws are assisting the local chapter. The Outlaws will be at the Southbridge Mall on Tuesday from 7pm-9pm this week.
Next week, members of the team will be at Wal-Mart on Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 7pm-9p and at HY-VEE East from 3pm-5pm on Thursday.
Outlaws Last Week
Fri. Nov. 21 vs. Bismarck 4-5 Loss
Sat. Nov. 22 vs. Bismarck 1-3 Loss
Outlaws This Week
Wed. Nov. 26 vs. Owatonna 7:30pm
Fri. Nov. 28 @ Alexandria 7:00pm
Sat. Nov. 29 @ Alexandria 7:00pm
The North Iowa Outlaws Hockey Club is in its fourth season as members of the North American Hockey League. The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 33nd year of operation. For more information, visit northiowaoutlaws.com or call (641) 424-5468.
Outlaws home games are played at the North Iowa Ice Arena in Mason City, IA. All games will be broadcasted on northiowaoutlaws.com and video broadcast through B/2 Network.
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North American Hockey League Stories from November 24, 2008
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- Outlaws Suffer Second Straight Pointless Weekend - North Iowa Outlaws
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