The Shreveport Mudbugs (20-13-6) got another three-point night from Jake Mack to help them earn a point in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Odessa Jackalopes at the Ector County Coliseum Friday night.
The Jacks got on the board at 2:08 of the opening period as Brendan Finn flipped in a rebound in front for his sixth tally of the year to give Odessa the early 1-0 edge. Odessa struck again at 3:19 as Tanyon Bajzer came along the backdoor side and slammed home a goal to make it 2-0. SHV responded on the PP as Jake Mack spun in his eighth goal of the season from the slot with traffic in front to make it a 2-1 contest at 10:15. The Jacks came right back on a PP of their own as Ryan Mansfield created space from the far circle and fired home his 15th goal of the year to make it a 3-1 ballgame. ODA led in SOG, 14-8 after one.
Odessa would add on early in the second period at 5:45 on a broken play, but it was Dayne Hoyord throwing a puck towards the net which banked off of Simon Bucheler’s pads and into the net making it a 4-1. The latest goal prompted SHV to make a goaltending switch in favor of Nikola Goich in search of a spark. The Bugs wouldn’t go away as on a delayed penalty, it was Hayden Nichol getting in front and shoveling home his seventh tally along the short side getting the Bugs within a pair of goals, 4-2 at the 16:06 mark. Mack earned his second point of the night earning the only assist on Nichol’s tally.
The Bugs started off a big third period at the 7:00 mark when Logan Gotinsky rammed home a rebound along the far side to get SHV closer at 4-3. Nik Miller and Alex Park picked up the assists. SHV would find the equalizer as it was Jake Mack again racing along the far side and smacking home his second goal of the night to even the score, 4-4 at 11:28. Nichol and Nick Marino fought hard on the play and tallied the assists on the game-tying tally.
The game stayed tied 4-4 going into the OT, but no scoring was done so we had another shootout between these two teams. The shootout lasted four rounds until Ryan Kelly speared in the only goal in the session to help the Jacks top the Bugs, 5-4.
SHV’s rally earned themselves a point.
The Bugs and Jacks will conclude their two-game series tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. from Ector County Coliseum.