The Shreveport Mudbugs (33-19-5) got a pair of goals from Hayden Nichol as he was on the top line and helped guide his team to a 6-3 victory over the Corpus Christi IceRays at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum Friday night.
The Bugs broke the ice early at 8:20 of the opening period on the PP as Austin Brimmer fed a perfect pass across to the short side which was buried home from Jacob Onstott for his second goal of the season to give Shreveport the early 1-0 edge. The reigning champs would strike again at 12:01 when Brimmer led an odd-man rush and threw another fine pass across to the LW circle which was fired home from Hayden Nichol which was his first tally as a Bug to push their lead to 2-0. Brimmer and Burke Simpson earned the assists on the play. The Bugs led in SOG, 11-7 after one.
Corpus Christi got on the board at 6:45 of the middle period when Nick Zocco poked home a rebound in front for his first goal in his NAHL debut to make it a 2-1 contest. The Bugs responded at 10:13 when Burke Simpson spun a puck off the goalie and into the net for a wacky PP goal to spread the margin back to 3-1. The Rays would answer back at 10:52 Cam Crolley snuck a puck past Simon Bucheler for a flukey goal to make it a 3-2 game. The Bugs would grab a two-goal lead again at 13:24 when Gunner Moore would rifle home his sixth tally of the year from the right point off the bar and in to propel Shreveport to a 4-2 lead. Brimmer and Simpson set up the play and earned the helpers on Moore’s goal. Corpus would come right back though at 16:16 when Michael Casey would knock in a rebound in front on the PP to make it a 4-3 contest. In a wild 2nd period of scoring, Shreveport led in SOG, 20-19 after two.
Shreveport regained a two-goal lead late in the game at 18:11 of the 3rd period when Logan Heroux fed Hayden Nichol far circle who roofed in his second goal of the game to stretch the lead to 5-3. The Bugs would put the game away at 19:09 when Lukas Sedlacek skated in on a breakaway and fore-handed home his 14th tally of the year to close out a 6-3 victory over the IceRays.
Simon Bucheler made 25 saves to earn the win in net and help the Bugs win for the 14th time in their past 16 games.
The Bugs and Ray will conclude their two-game “Made in America” themed series tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 p.m. from George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.