The Shreveport Mudbugs (22-6-4) squandered a two-goal lead late only to have Mason McCormick lift them to a resilient 3-2 victory in the tenth round of the shootout over the Wichita Falls Warriors Saturday night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
The Mudbugs and Warriors were scoreless after one period of play. The Bugs hit a few posts and both teams came up empty on each of their PP chances. Shreveport led in SOG, 6-4 after one.
The Mudbugs broke a scoreless tie at 1:32 of the 2nd period when Braiden Dorfman rifled home his team-leading 14th goal of the season from the RW circle to give Shreveport a 1-0 lead. Gio Procopio earned the only assist on the game’s first goal. Cole Hudson made some big saves late in the period to preserve the lead for the Bugs. Wichita Falls led in SOG in the period, 11-8.
Shreveport extended their lead at 5:55 into the third period when Garrett Steele tipped home his sixth goal in front from a perfect centering feed from Sean Bunting and it helped give the Bugs a 2-0 lead. The Warriors stormed back however with goals from Jackson Salt and Thomas Weis at 8:34 and 13:33 which rapidly tied the game, 2-2.
Cole Hudson and Ryan Ullan made big saves the rest of the way and stopped everything that came their way into the OT session as well.
In the shootout, after both teams traded two goals each, it was Mason McCormick who faked out Ullan and backhanded home the game-winning goal in the tenth round lifting Shreveport to a 3-2 victory over Wichita Falls.
Cole Hudson made 35 saves to earn his 13th win in net.
The Bugs and Warriors will conclude this three-game series tomorrow afternoon at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:11 p.m.