BLAINE, MN- The Mudbugs’ trip to Blaine, Minnesota for the 2026 NAHL Showcase ended on Saturday Afternoon with a 4-2 win over the Idaho Falls Spud Kings of the Mountain Division. With goals coming from Jeremiah Roberts, Jonah Jasser, Emerson LaRoche and Mitchell Reid.
In the first period at 17:53 Jeremiah Roberts got the party started with a goal coming from Gunner Gullstrand on the assist, the Bugs led 1-0, then at 01:40 left in the period, Jonah Jasser on the Scott Powerline Power Play got the Bugs out to a 2 goal lead with his tally coming from Chase Secriskey. In the second period the Spud Kings responded with two goals to tie it up at 2-2. Three minutes later however, the Bugs responded with a goal from the Minnesota Kid, Emerson LaRoche in his home state at 03:47 left in the second. Then in the third period, the Bugs put the exclamation mark on the game with Mitchell Reid firing it from the blueline to put the Bugs up 4-2. Kristers Plepis who was in between the pipes stopped 26 of 28 in Saturday’s affair.
The Bugs on Thursday and Friday Night of the Showcase took on the Minnesota Wilderness and the Pueblo Peppers respectively with the Bugs winning 5-3 on Thursday and falling at the hands of the Peppers 6-5 in overtime on Friday Night. Several newcomer and returner Bugs got their first goals as a member of the team including, Eli Shulman and Robin Israelsson on Thursday, Sean Goodman on Friday, and finally Emerson LaRoche and Mitchell Reid on Saturday Afternoon. The Bugs finished 2-0-1 this weekend and gained 5 out of 6 points in the standings.
Your Mudbugs return home next weekend to the George’s Pond Ice October 2nd and 3rd against the New Mexico Ice Wolves for Stick It To Cancer Night on Friday Night and Food-Ball Night on Saturday. As a reminder, the Mudbugs are currently accepting Food Donations for Food-Ball Night inside George’s Pond and the box representing either the New Orleans Saints or the Dallas Cowboys with the most donations will see the Bugs wear jerseys inspired by that team with the other’s being worn in warmups. The deadline to do so will be on October 3rd. You can drop off your donations at George’s Pond inside Hirsch Coliseum and a full list of approved items can be found on our social media platforms. Tickets for these games can be purchased online at tickets.georgespond34.com, visiting us at George’s Pond or calling us at 318-636-7094
But if you can’t make it out, you can watch and listen to those games on NATV and the Mudbugs Audio Network on our YouTube page with Duncan Welker calling the action with the Landers Pregame Show set for 6:50 and Puck Drop set for 7:11 PM Central.