NORSEMEN COME UP SHORT AGAINST BISMARCK

St. Cloud dropped both games to Bismarck over the weekend falling 5-2 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday. Friday night Mason Lebel gave the Norsemen an early lead with his 22nd of the year off assists from Tyler Wishart and Gabe Gallivan. Bismarck responded by scoring the next five goals before Martins Klaucans scored late in the third with an assist from Kaeden Krieg. St. Cloud kept the pressure up in the waning moments but couldn’t get any closer. Saturday night Lebel did it again scoring five minutes into the game giving the Norsemen another strong start. Wishart and Sam Crane picked up the assists. Bismarck tied the game late in the first and after a scoreless second period St. Cloud poured on the pressure in the third. They outshot the Bobcats 13-7 in the final period but couldn’t solve Bobcat goaltender Kai Weigel. Bismarck broke the tie late in the third and added an empty netter to seal it. Beck Liden stood strong in net for the Norsemen making 28 of 30 saves. The Norsemen will get another shot at the Bobcats this coming weekend and still hold a two-point lead over Aberdeen after the Wings were swept by Austin.