The Shreveport Mudbugs (23-17-5) got a pair of goals from Logan Furstenau and Burke Simpson to help cruise past the Odessa Jackalopes, 6-3 and get within two points of the final playoff spot at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum Friday night.
The Bugs cashed on the PP at 6:06 of the first period when Connor Gatto got a loose rebound in front and lifted home his team-leading 13th goal of the season to give Shreveport the early 1-0 lead. Burke Simpson and Austin Brimmer earned the assists on the game’s first tally. The Bugs dominated the opening period by out-shooting Odessa, 12-3 after one.
Shreveport added to their lead at 3:05 as Logan Furstenau flipped home a rebound in front for his third goal of the season to make it a 2-0 contest. Haydon Nichol and Evan Mitchell earned the helpers. Odessa responded with a pair of goals from Ryan Mansfield at 3:54 and 10:43 to even the score, 2-2. The Bugs would retake the lead as Furstenau got a perfect feed down low from Drake Morse and shovel home his 2nd goal of the night at 13:27 to give the reigning champs a 3-2 edge. Shreveport then got a shorthanded boost from Burke Simpson who raced in on a breakaway and speared home his ninth tally of the season at 17:22 to extend their lead to 4-2. It was Simpson again at 17:55 as Brimmer slinged the puck in front and was rammed home from Simpson to make it a 5-2 lead for the Bugs. Simpson’s second goal of the night was aided from Brimmer and Heyde to cap off another great period of scoring.
Shreveport would put the icing on the cake at 14:44 when Timofei Khokhlachev would get a puck in the slot and burying home his tenth tally to increase their lead to 6-2. Odessa would score a PP goal with less than a minute left in the game, but it was pretty much all Shreveport all night in a 6-3 victory.
Devon Bobak earned his 19th win of the season making 18 saves on the night.
The Bugs and Jacks conclude their two-game series tomorrow night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 p.m.