Bismarck Bobcats
| Bismarck Bobcats | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Bismarck, North Dakota |
| League | NAHL |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Home arena | V.F.W. Sports Center |
| Colors |
Black, White, Vegas Gold |
| Owner(s) | Thom Brigl |
| Head coach | Layne Sedevie |
| Media |
Paul Teeple KLXX-AM Super Talk 1270 (radio flagship) Bismarck Tribune KXMB-TV CBS 12 |
| Franchise history | |
| 1997-2003 | Bismarck Bobcats (AWHL) |
| 2003-Present | Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL) |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| Borne Cups | 2003, 2004 |
| Playoff championships | 2010 |
The Bismarck Bobcats are a Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Central Division, and play out of Bismarck, North Dakota, in the V.F.W. Sports Center. Originally a part of the America West Hockey League, the Bobcats joined the NAHL in a merger of the two leagues in 2003. In 2005, the Bobcats hosted the Robertson Cup tournament.
The Bobcats are the 2010 Robertson Cup Champions, winning the national championship with a 3-0 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on May 9, 2010. They are also the four-time defending NAHL Central Division champions.
In addition to the Robertson Cup, the Bobcats also won back-to-back Borne Cup titles as champions of the AWHL in 2003 and 2004. Their 2004 title was the last Borne Cup to be awarded prior to the NAHL-AWHL merger.
The Bismarck Bobcats came to Bismarck in 1997 and played their first season at the Bismarck Civic Center. They moved to the V.F.W. Sports Center the following year and have called it home ever since. The V.F.W. Sports Center was remodeled in the summer of 2008. The seating capacity 1,289 and with standing room is 1,450.
The Bobcats have had five head coaches in their tenure in Bismarck. Layne Sedevie is the current head coach, having been promoted from assistant coach following Byron Pool's decision to accept an associate head coach position with the Fargo Force of the USHL. Sedevie, a Bismarck native, was a goaltender at Bemidji State University and played professionally in the CHL before serving as assistant coach under Pool for the 2009-10 season. In his first season behind the bench he led the Bobcats to their third straight Central Division Playoff championship.
Pool, who served as head coach 2007-2010 was named the NAHL "Coach of the Year" in 2009. In addition to leading the team to its first-ever Robertson Cup title in 2010, he led the Bobcats to the most successful regular season in history in the 2008-2009 season. The Bobcats won 43 games and earned 88 points in the standings, which both set franchise records. The Bobcats won consecutive Central Division Playoff titles under Pool in 2009 and 2010.
Other former Bobcat coaches include: John Becanic; Chad Johnson (currently head coach of the Lincoln Stars of the USHL) and Dane Litke.
The 2012-2013 season is the franchise's 16th season in Bismarck. They are the second-oldest franchise in the NAHL behind the Springfield Jr. Blues.
Rivalries
The Bobcats have two primary rivals: the Aberdeen Wings and the Minot Minotauros.
The Bobcats-Wings rivalry is in its third year, and is centered around the Titan Machinery Dakota Cup. The Bobcats, despite being the defending national champions in 2010-11, suffered multiple setbacks against the expansion Wings in front of capacity crowds at both teams' rinks before finally wrestling the new traveling trophy away from their South Dakota neighbors by a point total of 15-11.[1] The 2011-12 Dakota Cup was much more lopsided, as the Bobcats won the Cup 21-7, posting a 10-1-1 regular season record against the Wings.[2] In the 2012 Playoffs, the Bobcats ousted the Wings in four games from the Central Division Semifinals.[3]
The Bobcats and Tauros are in the second year of their intrastate rivalry, but the proximity (roughly 100 miles along US-83) of the two teams that share North Dakota has already produced multiple fights and plenty of bad blood.[4]
Former Bobcats NAHL rivals include the Alexandria Blizzard, North Iowa Outlaws and Owatonna Express.
Season Records
| [| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| [| 2004–05 | 56 | 25 | 22 | 9 | 59 | 165 | 172 | 1,337 | 5th, West | did not qualify |
| [| 2005–06 | 58 | 31 | 23 | 4 | 66 | 204 | 184 | 1,041 | 3rd, Central | lost in 1st Round |
| [| 2006–07 | 62 | 26 | 30 | 6 | 58 | 193 | 221 | 1,299 | 5th, Central | did not qualify |
| [| 2007–08 | 58 | 20 | 32 | 6 | 46 | 148 | 215 | 1,217 | 6th, Central | did not qualify |
| [| 2008–09 | 58 | 43 | 13 | 2 | 88 | 202 | 121 | 1,123 | 1st, Central | lost in Round Robin |
| [| 2009–10 | 58 | 39 | 11 | 8 | 86 | 195 | 130 | 1,073 | 1st, Central | Champions |
| [| 2010–11 | 58 | 31 | 22 | 5 | 67 | 179 | 156 | 1,100 | 4th, Central | lost in Round Robin Play-In |
| [| 2011–12 | 60 | 45 | 13 | 2 | 92 | 237 | 160 | 931 | 1st, Central | lost in Round Robin |
| [| 2012-13 | 60 | 35 | 16 | 9 | 79 | 183 | 140 | 889 | 2nd, Central | lost in Round Robin |
References
- ↑ Paul Teeple (March 11, 2011). "Bobcats win Dakota Cup, clinch playoff berth". BismarckBobcats.com.
- ↑ Paul Teeple (March 31, 2012). "Playoff Atmosphere". BismarckBobcats.com.
- ↑ Paul Teeple (April 14, 2012). "Advancing Charge". BismarckBobcats.com.
- ↑ Paul Teeple (December 2, 2011). "Zawacki's hat trick, special teams pace Bobcats' 8-3 blowout at Minot". BismarckBobcats.com.
External links
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