WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS (20-15-0-1) vs. BISMARCK BOBCATS (25-10-3-1)
VFW SPORTS CENTER | NAHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME #37 AND #38 | FEBRUARY 6 AND 7, 2026
The Watertown Shamrocks will travel to play the Bismarck Bobcats on Friday and Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at VFW Sports Center. It will be the Shamrocks’ thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth regular-season games of the 2025-26 season. This is the third regular-season matchup between these teams.
THIS SEASON:
So far this season, the Shamrocks have gone 1-3 against the Bobcats in their four games played.
In the first set of games, the Bobcats swept the Shamrocks in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena. On Friday, the Bobcats struck first with a goal in the first period, then the Shamrocks tied it up at the end of the first. In the second, the Bobcats had four goals to pull ahead with a 1-5 lead. Two Shamrocks goals in the second and third period made it 5-3. A Bobcats empty net goal made it 3-6 Bobcats. In game two, despite 25 shots on net, the Shamrocks were shut out 0-5 by the Bobcats.
In the second set of games, the Watertown split the series with Bismarck. On Friday night, the Shamrocks got the first goal of the game at 5:30 in the first period. After a quiet second period, the Shamrocks scored three third-period goals to capture a 4-1 win. On Saturday, Watertown was shut out again, despite 25 shots on net. Final score was 0-4 Bobcats.
WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS:
The Shamrocks will enter this division matchup after sweeping two games against the Minto Minotauros, 3-0 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday.
On Friday, goalie Mason Gudridge earned his first-career shutout. The Shamrocks, Brody Josselyn, Kyle Greene, and Payton Struck, scored once in each of the three periods to achieve a 3-0 win over the Minotauros. On Saturday, the Shamrocks got the first goal of the game, with the Minotauros tying it up before the end of the first period. In the second, both teams scored to make it 2-2, but Zach Boren gave the Shamrocks a 3-2 lead. One more Watertown goal in the third period gave the Shamrocks a 4-2 win and a weekend sweep.
The Shamrocks have won three of their last five games and currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division.
BISMARCK BOBCATS:
The Bobcats will enter this division matchup after dropping two away games at the Aberdeen Wings, 3-5 on Friday and 1-2 (OT) on Saturday.
On Friday, Bismarck got two goals in the first period to give them the lead. In the second, Aberdeen stormed back with three goals, and Bismarck tied it to end the period. Two Wings goals in the third secured Aberdeen’s 5-3 win. On Saturday, it was a quiet first period for both teams. In the second, the Wings scored on the power play to give them the lead, but the Bobcats came back shortly after to tie the game 1-1. A scoreless third period sent the game to overtime. At 1:15 on the power play, Aberdeen’s Cooper Anderson netted the final goal, giving the Wings a 2-1 win over the Bobcats.
The Bobcats have won one of their last five games and are in second place in the Central Division.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
SHAMROCKS:
- Joe Rice had three assists last Friday night and a goal and three assists last Saturday night for a total of seven points on the weekend. He is currently first on the team with 22 assists this season, and second with 27 points.
- Kyle Greene had an assist and a goal last Friday night and an assist and a goal last Saturday night for a total of four points on the weekend. He now has 19 points on the season.
- Goalie Mason Gudridge had his first career shutout on Friday night, with 37 saves.
BOBCATS:
- Charlie Kresel is tied for first with 13 goals and leads the team with 39 assists, totaling 52 points on the season. He had an assist on Friday night.
- Noah Ziskie had two goals last Friday night for a total of 13 goals on the season.
- Camden Alemond is second on the team with 30 assists, totaling 39 points on the season.
By Lily Schutzehofer
Photo by Sarah Cooper