The Shreveport Mudbugs (31-19-5) lit the lamp four times in the opening period and coasted by the Odessa Jackalopes, 4-1 to win another big contest in their playoff push Friday night at Ector County Coliseum.
The Bugs capitalized on their first PP opportunity when Austin Brimmer got a perfect feed from the far circle who roofed in his team-leading 18th goal of the year to give Shreveport the early 1-0 edge at 2:03. Burke Simpson fed Brimmer the puck and earned the only assist on the game’s first tally. Shreveport would earn another PP goal at 8:59 when Jake Mack tipped home his 10th goal of the campaign in front to extend the lead to 2-0. Tim Khokhlachev and Drake Morse earned the helpers. The Bugs would increase their lead at 13:14 on an odd-man rush when Khokhlachev fed Lukas Sedlacek the puck who fired one home into a yawning cage for his 12th tally of the year to make it a 3-0 contest. The reigning champions would put the icing on the cake at 17:20 on a loose puck in front which was hammered in from Khokhlachev which was his 15th of the season to push the advantage to 4-0. SOG were tied 12-12.
The Jacks got on the board at 2:03 of the 2nd period when Emerson Goode slipped in his 12th goal of the year from the RW circle to make it a 4-1 Bugs lead. Shreveport withstood any momentum Odessa might have had after that goal and didn’t allow any more in the middle frame. The Bugs led in SOG, 26-24 after two.
The Bugs staged off any comeback attempt from Odessa and glided by in the third period and played safe and steady enroute to a 4-1 victory.
Devon Bobak made 33 saves to earn his 26th win in net and help the Bugs win for the 12th time in their past 14 contests.
The Bugs and Jacks will conclude their season series tomorrow night from Ector County Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.