Bulls Preview: Games 37 & 38 vs. Alexandria

Jan 29, 2020

THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES:

THURSDAY – Alexandria @ North Iowa, 7:00 p.m.
FRIDAY – North Iowa @ Alexandria, 7:10 p.m

NORTH IOWA BULLS, 28-6-2-0 (ROSTERSTATS)
vs. ALEXANDRIA BLIZZARD, 15-13-2-1 (ROSTER, STATS)

 

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

BULLS VS. ALEXANDRIA ALL-TIME: 32-6-2

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN…NOPE, KEEP GOING…: North Iowa has its first North American Hockey League tender of the season, as Lucas Wahlin prepares to join the Kenai River Brown Bears for the 2020- 21 season. Wahlin signed his tender with the Brown Bears last week, but that agreement finally became official on Monday. The former Hill-Murray High School standout spent five weeks with the Jamestown Rebels earlier this season, playing in five games before returning to the North Iowa roster. More than 40 Bulls players have moved on to suit up for NAHL teams.

THE BULLS BUNCH: The rosters have been announced for the upcoming NA3HL Top Prospects showcase in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and six North Iowa players will be making the trip. Defenseman Jack Kubitz will suit up for the Northeast Division, which only has four teams. Fellow blueliner Sean Sullivan will hit the ice for the West Division, along with goaltender Evan Babekuhl. Former Kenai River Brown Bear Justin Daly and future Brown Bear Lucas Wahlin will join Sota Isogai on the forward line for the three games on February 17 and 18 at the New England Sports Village. Head coach Todd Sanden will serve as the West’s head coach, the ninth straight year that he has coached a Top Prospects squad.

ROAD WARRIORS: Alexandria’s luck has been less-than-stellar at home this season, posting a 5-8 mark at the Runestone Community Center, but the Blizzard have more than proven themselves away from home with a 10-5-2-1 record on hostile ice. North Iowa’s home-and-away splits are virtually equal, with a 14-4-0-0 record on home ice, and a 14-2-2-0 record as the visiting team.

THE “U” CREW: Thursday’s game at the Mason City Multipurpose Arena will feature a true rarity for a North American Tier 3 Hockey League contest – a four-man officiating crew. This game will be the first-ever Bulls game, minus last year’s exhibition contest against Shattuck-St. Mary’s, with a four-man crew – both referees assigned to the contest have USHL experience, including 2019 Clark Cup Finals referee Nolan Bloyer. Both linesmen – Cam Dykstra and Sam Rankin – have worked games in the American Hockey League.

MEDIA NOTES: