The Shreveport Mudbugs (1-3) fought hard to the very end, but fell just 59 seconds in OT to the Lone Star Brahmas, 4-3 as drop their opening round playoff series in four games Saturday night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
The Brahmas grabbed the game’s first goal for the third time in this series at 16:55 when Niemo had a perfect pass his way through the slot and yanked in his first tally of the postseason to give LS the early 1-0 lead. The road team led in SOG, 10-6 after one.
Shreveport responded in the 2nd period at 16:33 when Burke Simpson had some space in the RW circle and snapped home his 2nd PP goal in as many nights to even the score, 1-1. Davis Goukler and Connor Gatto earned the assist on the Bugs’ first goal of the game. Lone Star led in SOG, 21-12 after two.
The 3rd period was a wild one and it started off with Lone Star taking the lead 5:40 when Niemo created space and ripped home his second goal of the night to give the Brahmas a 2-1 lead. Shreveport responded yet again just 59 seconds later when Jacob OnStott threw a knuckling shot towards the net which handcuffed Arthur Smith’s glove and into the net at 6:31 to tie the game, 2-2. Austin Brimmer picked up the only assist on Onstott’s goal. The Bugs would then grab their first lead of the night when Hayden Nichol tipped home his first goal of the playoffs along the short side to give Shreveport a 3-2 lead at 12:45. Gunner Moore and Lukas Sedlacek picked up the helpers. The game wouldn’t be over because Lone Star would have a response of their own at 16:50 as Jack Collins cut through the slot and redirected home his first tally of the playoffs to tie the game, 3-3 and send the contest into OT.
In OT, it would all end just 59 seconds in when the Brahmas capitalized on the PP when Ray Murakami poked home the game-winning and series-clinching tally along the far side to lift Lone Star to a 4-3 victory and win the series in four games.
The Mudbugs season comes to an end we hope to you have back for the 2022-2023 season.