The Shreveport Mudbugs (31-7-5) scored eight goals and got big performances from up and down their lineup to power past the Odessa Jackalopes, 8-4 to win their eighth straight contest Saturday night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
Shreveport opened up the scoring at 3:31 of the 1st period when Matt Vermaeten backhanded home his second tally in this series from the slot to give the Bugs an early 1-0 lead. Matt Weber and Adam Kolcon earned the assists on the game’s first goal of the game. The Bugs added to their lead on the PP when Joe Mack stayed hot and sniped in his 14th goal of the year with a rocket from the LW circle to make it a 2-0 contest. Odessa would respond however though with two goals in a 1:11 span with tallies from Fletcher Anderson and J.R. Perdion to even the score, 2-2 and tilt the ice the other way. The Jacks led in SOG, 11-9 after one.
The Bugs would break the tie at 5:25 of the 2nd period when Griffen Sanom redirected home his sixth tally of the season in front to make it a 3-2 contest. Shreveport would follow 1:17 seconds later as Joe Mack jolted in his second goal of the game from the slot to make it a quick 4-2 lead for Bugs hockey. Odessa however would respond yet again with two goals – 42 seconds apart from Aidan Cobb and Jack Musa evening the score, 4-4. The Bugs though would come right back and go ahead when Vermaeten rammed home his second goal of the game at 11:06 to make it a 5-4 game. Shreveport would gain a two-goal lead again at 17:53 when Vermaeten would flip in his third goal of the night to make it a 6-4 lead for the home team. Vermaeten is the fourth Bug to earn a hat trick this season.
Shreveport would thwart any comeback attempt from Odessa in the third when Connor Gatto would roof in his 11th goal of the season in the slot at 6:58 to extend the Bugs lead to 7-4. The icing on the cake would occur when former Jack, Adam Kolcon would rifle home his first goal as a Mudbug and second of the season at 10:31 to make it a 8-4 edge.
Cole Hudson wasn’t at his best in net, but made timely saves to earn his sixth straight win between the pipes.
The Bugs will hit the road to Albuquerque, New Mexico to begin a three-game series against the Ice Wolves starting next Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Central time.