The Shreveport Mudbugs (38-11-7) rallied back from an early deficit, but came up short to the Lone Star Brahmas by a final score of 3-2 in the shootout to close out the 2020-2021 regular season.
Lone Star picked up where they left off last night by netting the game’s first goal at 18:35 when Zach Purcell raced in on a breakaway and fore-handed in his 17th goal of the season to give the Brahmas a 1-0 lead. The road team would add another tally at 19:22 when Brady Smith threw a nifty shot from the far corner which found its way into the back of the net to make it a quick 2-0 edge for Lone Star. Shreveport led in SOG, 11-9 after one.
There wasn’t much going on in the 2nd period between both teams until Griffen Sanom was able to smack in a rebound in front at 18:07 to bring the home crowd to life and cut the deficit to 2-1. Aidan Metcalfe and Mason McCormick earned the helpers on Sanom’s seventh tally of the season. Bugs led in SOG, 21-18 after two.
The Bugs would even the score with seven minutes left in the game as Austin Brimmer was able to pound in his ninth goal of the season on a broken play in front. The game was tied 2-2, but filled with lots of anger from Lone Star thinking there was goalie interference on Graham Burke on the equalizing tally.
The game stayed tied 2-2 going into OT, but both teams came up empty moving the finale to a shootout.
Lone Star would win the contest, 3-2, with goals from Purcell and Joey Trazzera in the shootout session.
The Mudbugs will begin their first round of the Robertson Cup playoffs against the Amarillo Bulls with game 1 of the best-of-five series next Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 p.m. from George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.