Bismarck entered their three-game weekend series against Minot with a chance to make a major move up in the Central Division standings and, potentially, earn a playoff spot.
With all 180 minutes of the weekend now done, the Bobcats will have to hope this weekend isn't as big a missed chance as it appears to be now, as Minot finished a three-game sweep with a 7-5 win over the Bobcats Saturday evening at VFW Sports Center.
A three-game weekend is unusual in the NAHL, and the Bobcats had this happen because of the winter storm earlier in the month, which caused a postponement of a game in Minot before the teams met up in Bismarck for one game.
Bismarck took identical 4-3 losses in Minot on both Thursday and Friday, and came into Saturday's home game with the hopes of breaking that streak.
Three-point nights from Minot's Hunter Longhi and Trevor Stachowiak, with each player having two goals and an assist, were too much for the comeback-minded Bobcats to overcome.
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Bismarck got off on about as wrong a foot as they could, as Chase LaPinta scored 36 seconds into the game.
An unassisted goal by Calvin Hanson, his eighth of the season and sixth of December, was one of the few bright spots of a tough first period for the Bobcats, as they were outscored 3-1 despite both teams tallying nine shots.
The Bobcats made their move at a comeback attempt in the second, as Adam Pietila, Hanson and Michael Neumeier scored to counterbalance Stachowiak's first to send the game to the third tied 4-4.
A poorly-timed tripping penalty by Vertti Jantunen 10 seconds into the third gave Minot an early power play, and they didn't waste it, as Longhi scored his first to give Minot back the lead 26 seconds in.
Erik Atchison tied the game at 5-all with 5:35 to go, and the game appeared to be going to overtime as the clock ticked away.
Stachowiak ensured it didn't, beating Bismarck goalie Hunter Garvey (18 saves) with less than 30 seconds to go to put Minot on top, and Longhi iced Minot's sweep with an empty netter 14 seconds later.
Bismarck was 0-for-2 on their two power-play opportunities. Minot was 2-for-2.
Minot goalie Lawton Zacher earned the win by making 20 saves.
Nick Baer had two assists for Bismarck. Bryce Howard, John Emmons, and Justin Dauphinais of Minot all had two assists as well.
Bismarck will hope to recover from the sweep next weekend with a trip to North Iowa for a pair against the Bulls.
