The Shreveport Mudbugs had to scratch and claw in the 3rd period to come back and beat the Corpus Christi Ice Rays, 3-2 in game 2 Saturday night in Georges Pond at Hirsch Coliseum.
Corpus Christi capitalized on the game’s first PP at 7:25 of the 1st period when Adam Kadlec shot in his first goal of the playoffs from the high slot through traffic in front of the net. Ice Rays out-shot the Bugs, 14-9 and held a 1-0 edge after the opening period of play.
Shreveport responded with a much needed powerplay tally of their own when Cam Cook tipped in his second goal of the playoffs at 6:27 to tie the game up at 1. Dominick Procopio put the shot towards the net grabbing the only assist on the goal. Bugs out-shot the Ice Rays 15-9 in the 2nd period and 24-23 overall after two.
The Ice Rays went back ahead when former Bug Garrett Hallford got a gift in front of the net and shot in his second goal of the series giving Corpus Christi a 2-1 lead. Later on in the third period, Derek Contessa buried home his first goal of the postseason between the circles tying the game back up at 2. The game stayed tied 2-2 until Andrew Lane slapped in his first tally of the playoffs from the point through traffic at 14:30 propelling the Bugs to a 3-2 lead. Brendon Gysbers grabbed the only assist on the game-winning goal.
Jaxon Castor made the saves in a crazy last minute of the game to preserve the Bugs’ 3-2 win and giving Shreveport a 2-0 lead in the best of five series.
The Mudbugs can return the favor from last season and sweep the Ice Rays in game 3 this Thursday night in Corpus Christi.
The series now shifts to the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi with game 3 this Thursday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm. The “Voice of the Mudbugs” Chet Yoder will have all the play-by-play action with the MarkDuffield.net Coldwell Banker Gosslee pregame show at 645p on The Ticket 100.7FM/1340AM, streamed live on http://edge.mixlr.com/channel/rqdkr, and hockeytv.com.
