Bulls Preview: Game 17 vs. Willmar

Nov 9, 2019

THIS WEEKEND’S GAME:

SATURDAY – Willmar @ North Iowa, 7:30 p.m

WILLMAR WARHAWKS, 8-5-0-1 (ROSTER, STATS)
@ NORTH IOWA BULLS, 13-2-1-0 (ROSTERSTATS)

 

COVERAGE: HockeyTV (video/$), Mixlr (audio/free)

BULLS vs. WILLMAR ALL-TIME: 11-0-1

WHAT ABOUT THE WARHAWKS: Winning streaks have been hard to come by for Kirk Olimb’s team, but the WarHawks got back in the win column Friday night, beating the Alexandria Blizzard 4-3 in a shootout. Neither team led by more than a goal, and Brandon Holt popped back into the lineup with the only goal for either side in the brief shootout. Holt also had an assist on Trent Sylvester’s game-tying goal with just under five minutes left in regulation.

GIVING ‘EM THE HORNS: North Iowa has won nine straight in the head-to-head series against Willmar since the present-day WarHawks moved from Little Falls, Minnesota in 2016. The Bulls earned the win in their home opener this season by an 11-1 count, thanks to a hat trick from Cam Fagerlee and a seven-goal second period. Last year’s season series was just as lopsided, with the Bulls taking away six wins by a total margin of 46-7. It’s a busy stretch of matchups between the teams, with five of the six meetings scheduled for before Thanksgiving this season.

HOLT UP A MINUTE: Both teams have had a few standouts to look to this season, and those players have gotten a well-deserved chance to suit up at the next level. Willmar’s Brandon Holt got the chance to experience that feeling this week, earning a call-up to the St. Cloud Blizzard of the North American Hockey League. Holt is the leading scorer on the roster for the WarHawks, racking up 19 points in a dozen games this season as the WarHawks’ captain. For the Bulls, Zach Simon is away from the team this week, enjoying an NAHL call-up with the Lone Star Brahmas after posting a dozen points over 13 games.

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