The Shreveport Mudbugs (12-9) struggled most of the night and got upended by the Odessa Jackalopes, 5-2 at Ector County Coliseum Friday night.
After a scoreless opening period, the Jacks broke through with goals from Nick Metelkin and Marcus Fechko at :49 and 13:06 to go up 2-0 in the game. SHV fired back with back-to-back PP goals starting w/ Lucas Deeb who drilled home his eighth tally from the far circle to cut the deficit in half at 2-1 at 15:20. Brent Litchard earned the only assist. Then at 17:37, it was Litchard who smoked in his fifth goal of the year from the right point to dramatically tie the game up, 2-2 on the PP. Carter Mckay picked up the assist. ODA would go back ahead though at 18:46 as Jack L’Esperance slipped in his fifth goal of the campaign from the short side to give the Jacks a 3-2 edge after two periods of play. Odessa led in SOG, 26-12 after two.
ODA put the game away in the third w/ goals from Kowin Belsterling at 8:13 and an EN goal from Austin Richards at 18:22 to close out a 5-2 victory over SHV.
The Bugs and Jacks will conclude their two-game series tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. from Ector County Coliseum.