The fun factor has definitely returned to the Bismarck Bobcat locker room.

"When you get into a losing streak you can't stand to come to the rink on Monday," Bobcats wing Isaiah Bennis said after Saturday's 6-1 victory over Albert Lea. "Now we're all looking forward to coming to the rink."

For good reason. Bismarck's Saturday win over Albert Lea, coupled with Alexandria's loss to North Iowa thrust the Bobcats into first place in the Central Division of the North American Hockey League.

The Bobcats have now won eight games in a row. Albert Lea slipped to its 10th straight loss.

Bennis, Jordan Singer and Tim Serratore accounted for four goals as the Bobcats dominated the Thunder for the second straight night.

The first period began to look like it would be scoreless when Bennis, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound wing broke through with a rebound goal at the 15:58 mark.

Bennis set up Singer, who beat Thunder goalie TomLescovich with a low shot from short range at 12:51 of the second period.

Bismarck's Joel Lundstrom was credited with the sweetest goal of the night. Jeffrey Harris started the sequence by charging up the middle of the ice with the puck, dumping off to CodyKeefer, taking a return pass and hitting Lundstrom right on top of the crease at 14:44 of the middle period.

The second and third Bobcat goals were killers, taking the air out of the Thunder, which seemed to be finding its legs in the middle of the period.

Albert Lea's DannyWood ended a five-period shutout string by Bobcat goalkeeping at the 6:16 mark of the third period, sailing a shot past Matt Grogan from the top of the slot.

Bismarck responded with a flurry. Bennis scored on a power play rebound at 7:26. Serratore converted on a 3-on-2 break at 15:34 and Ryan Dunne squeezed a shot just inside the far post from the bottom of the left circle at 17:39.

Bennis, a second-year junior player fromEau Claire, Wis., now has three goals since his arrival in Bismarck via a trade.

"I got traded here from Fairbanks about a month ago," Bennis said. "… I've been playing with Jordan Singer since I got here, and Tim Serratore got put on our line last weekend. Since then we've been jelling pretty well."

Bobcats coach Byron Pool said the team's defense has been there all year. Now the offense is kicking in.

"Ithink we're a very good defensive hockey team and we've turned into opportunists," he said. "We're taking advantage of our chances…. Earlier in the year those pucks weren't going in."

The best part of the 12-goal, two-night outburst against Albert Lea was the distribution, according to Pool.

"We're scoring up and down the lineup," he said. "We're getting contributions from everyone. …We're getting it from all four lines, which is really nice."

That makes for a much happier team than the Bobcats were when they struggled to a 5-7-0 start.

"A team is the best way to describe them," he said. "… They look out for each other and have fun together. There's really no negativity in the locker room."

Bismarck visits North Iowa for two games and Albert Lea for one next weekend before a two-week rest.

"We need to keep it rolling for one more weekend and then the guys will get a break," Pool said. "… They need a break."

Albert Lea 0 0 1 - 1

Bobcats 1 2 3 - 6

First period:1. B, Isaiah Bennis (JohnAvino, Jordan SInger), 15:58.Penalties: AL, Robbie Vannelli (hooking), 1:47. AL, Chris Cass (interference), 9:06. B, JohnWickman (high sticking), 11:38. B, Casey Kleisinger (tripping), 12:44. B, TonyTurgeon (interference), 16:27. B, Ryan Dunne (tripping), 17:56. AL, Anthony Brown (fighting major), 19:53. B, Myles Harvey (fighting major), 19:53.

Second period:2. B, Singer (Bennis), 12:51. 3. B, Joel Lundstrom (Jeffrey Harris, Cody Keefer), 14:44. Penalties:B, Andrew Seeberg (high sticking), :23. AL, Anthony Brown (hooking), 7:21. B, Harvey (interference), 13:46. AL,Matt Sempeck (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:46. B, Dunne (hooking), 16:06. AL, Nikita Feokristov(unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:06.

Third period:4. AL, DannyWood (Mitch Torrel), 6:16. 5. B, Bennis (Singer, John Clark), 7:26 (pp). 6. B, Tim Serratore (Singer, Clark), 16:34. 7. B, Ryan Dunne (Avino), 17:39. Penalties:AL, Niko Kapetanovic (slashing), 7:05. AL,DusanKobela (roughing), 8:53. B, Will Aide (fighting major), 19:39. B,Jeffrey Harris (slashing), 19:39. AL,Kobela (high sticking major and game ejection), 19:39.

Goalie saves:AL -Tom Lescovich 8-13-11 - 32. B - Matt Grogan 6-10-2 - 18.

Penalties: AL7 minors, 2 majors, 1 10-minute misconduct. B8 minors, 2 majors.

Records: Albert Lea 1-18-2,Bismarck 15-8-1.