There are many joyous things as the Bismarck Bobcats Staff Writer that I have seen during my 22 year career in covering the Bobcats, but last weekend was very frustrating for me because I couldn’t help the team that I love very much win. Everything came up smelling like a rose for the Aberdeen Wings while everything that the Bobcats tried smelled like something else, as the Bobcats were swept in the two game home and home series, being outscored 13 to 2. Injuries to veteran players could have had something to do with the Bobcats performance this past weekend. You could tell that Coaches Sedevie and Roth were not happy with the results, as practice on Monday was puck free with emphasis on skating and physical play only.
I sat down with the Bobcats leading scorer and sharpshooter Austin Jouppi on Wednesday and asked why the Bobcats got swept this weekend. According to Jouppi, the Bobcats were just not physical enough in mixing it up with the Wings and shied away from battles along the wall. As a result, the coaching staff had the Bobcat players working on their ability in getting the puck out of the corners and along the boards at practice on Wednesday.
As for the Duluth East product Jouppi, he pointed out to me that he needs to make quicker decisions when in control of the puck. Austin leads the team in scoring with 28 markers with 12 goals and 16 “apples” as he plays on the Bobcats “Bison” line.
I would like to thank Austin for taking his time to meet with the media on Wednesday, especially after the tough losses against Aberdeen and good luck this coming weekend against the Brookings Blizzard at the VFW Sports Center, as they try to separate from their tie for fourth place in the NAHL Central Division standings with the Minot Minotauros.
