MASON CITY, Iowa – The Bulls have won 11 games in the months of October and November, but no individual effort has been enough to bring home one of the NA3HL’s Bauer Central Division Stars of the Week Awards. That changed this past weekend in Wausau, Wisconsin with a couple of North Iowa wins over the RiverWolves.
Jarod Blackowiak was chosen Wednesday as the division’s Star of the Week after two outstanding performances against the RiverWolves in the first-ever matchup between the teams. Blackowiak contributed three points over the weekend, including a couple of assists in Friday’s 5-1 victory. His goal in the final seconds of the first period Saturday proved to be the game-winner in a 3-1 triumph.
The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native nearly earned back-to-back Star of the Week awards after two huge games against the Rochester Ice Hawks last weekend. Blackowiak notched four goals against the Ice Hawks during their home-and-home set before Thanksgiving, and finished +5 for the weekend. His first-period goal that Friday was also a game-winner, and he would add a shorthanded tally with 1:18 left to put an exclamation mark on a 7-0 victory.
Blackowiak is the fourth Central Division Star of the Week for the Bulls, but the first after a back-to-back-to-back run of Stars to start the season. Dominic Skrelja was North Iowa’s last Star of the Week and has settled back in with the NAHL’s Austin Bruins after a brief stop in Mason City early in the season. Tyler Bump and Mitch Dolter started the season as the Bulls’ first two Stars of the Week.
The Bulls finish a four-game stretch against Wausau with a pair of home games this weekend. Both home games will be live-streamed on HockeyTV, with Saturday’s game also audio-streamed on Mixlr.
Friday is “Support Your School Night,” with a chance to win recess with the Bulls – our “No Shave November” contest will also be decided, with a Bulls jersey on the line. The Bulls will wear specialty jerseys over the weekend, which will be auctioned off after Saturday’s game to benefit the Worth County Full Strut chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. For advance tickets to this weekend’s games, or to any future Bulls home game, click here.