The Shreveport Mudbugs (39-14-2) got another big game from Ryan Burke as he scored the eventual game-winner to hold off the Odessa Jackalopes, 3-2 at the Ector County Coliseum Friday night.
ODA struck first at 8:01 of the opening period as John Wojciechowski threw a shot in traffic which snuck into the net for his fourth and an early 1-0 Jacks lead. SHV responded at 12:10 as Brent Litchard stayed w/ the puck in front and lifted in his 11th goal of the season to even the score, 1-1. Lucas Deeb and Ryan Burke set up the play and picked up the assists. The Jacks led in SOG, 12-8 after one.
The Bugs would grab their first lead of the night at 4:58 of the second period as Bryce Boucher banged in his fifth goal of the campaign off an initial faceoff win from Carter McKay which slipped in from the short side to give SHV a 2-1 edge. SHV would then extend their lead at 10:44 as Ryan Burke shoveled in a loose rebound in front for his 22nd tally making it a 3-1 contest. Brent Litchard and Ryan Austin earned the helpers. The visiting team led in SOG, 22-18 after two.
It was a frantic ending in the third period as the Jacks cut the deficit to just a goal down as Lemeul Vardy poked home his first goal in front w/ an extra attacker on the ice to make it a 3-2 ballgame. That would be the closest Odessa would get as SHV smothered the Jacks in the end to preserve a 3-2 victory and their 16th win in their last 19 games.
Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau made 20 stops to earn his 25th win between the pipes.
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.