The Shreveport Mudbugs (18-5-3) scored early and held off the Odessa Jackalopes, 4-2 to snap a two-game losing streak Thursday night at Ector County Coliseum.
Shreveport lit the lamp first just 1:38 into the contest as Braiden Dorfman rifled home his team-leading tenth tally of the season from the LW circle to give the Bugs an early 1-0 lead. Austin Brimmer earned the only helper as he worked the puck into the zone on a 2 on 2 rush. Odessa would tie the game on an odd-man rush as it was Tyler German tapping in his third goal of the season from the short side at 13:04 to tie the game, 1-1. The Bugs would respond at 16:31 as Chris Hedden blasted a loose puck in the slot and off a rebound it was Griffen Sanom knocking in his first goal as a Mudbug to give Shreveport a 2-1 lead. Hedden picked up the only assist on the game.
Odessa would tie the game off a stolen puck from Gabe Bennett as he shot in his fourth goal of the year to make it a 2-2 contest at 7:04 of the 2nd period. The game would stay tied 2-2 in the middle frame thanks to amazing saves made by Connor Hasley in net for the Jacks robbing Dawson Sciarrino twice and Mason McCormick out in front. Bugs led in SOG, 21-18 after two.
The Bugs broke a 2-2 tie at 7:41 of the third period when Mason McCormick backhanded home his fifth goal of the year off a rebound in front to give Shreveport a 3-2 lead. Dawson Sciarrino and Chris Hedden earned the helpers on the eventual game-winning tally. Odessa would put a surge to try to tie it again, but Sciarrino rolled in an empty-net tally to seal up a 4-2 victory for Shreveport.
The Mudbugs snap a two-game losing streak and Cole Hudson picks up his 12th win in net making 22 saves.
Coach Soupy had to leave the team yesterday due to a personal matter and it was Associate Head Coach Rich Parent taking over and improving his lifetime record to 4-0 as the acting bench boss for Shreveport.
The Bugs will continue this road trip and take on the Amarillo Bulls from the Amarillo Civic Center for a two-game series beginning tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.