The Shreveport Mudbugs (24-17-8) scored four unanswered goals to come back and beat the Corpus Christi Ice Rays, 5-3 at the American Bank Center which had over 6,000 school kids in attendance.
Corpus Christi got on the board first at 9:06 of the 1st period when Blake Bennett banged in his 19th goal of the year to give the Ice Rays the early 1-0. The Bugs answered in the last minute of the opening period when Jack Jaunich never gave up in a scrum in front of the net and jammed in his seventh tally of the season. C.J. McGee and Matt Weber earned the assists at 19:01 evening the score, 1-1. Shreveport led in SOG, 13-12 after one period of play.
The Ice Rays went back ahead in the 2nd period with goals from Santeri Hartikainen and Matthew Headland at 1:13 and 3:50 putting the home team up 3-1 on the Bugs. Shreveport responded in a big way late as Gueorgui Feduolov fired home his eighth goal of the year from the slot pulling the Bugs within at 3-2 at 14:55. McGee picked up his second assist of the game on the goal. The Bugs then tied the game up suddenly just 17 seconds after Feduolov’s tally when Timothy Clifton ripped home his seventh of the season from left wing circle tying the game score, 3-3. Both Weber and Jaunich got the assists at 15:12. The Bugs led in SOG, 36-30 after two periods of play.
The Mudbugs continued to tilt the ice in their favor in the 3rd period of the game. The Bugs scored the go-ahead tally at 11:00 when Carson Nichols crashed the net and tipped home his first goal of the year to give Shreveport their first lead of the day at 4-3. Anton Rubstov and C.J. Regula grabbed the helpers on Nichols’ tally. Shreveport then got an insurance goal at 16:18 when Ethan Harrison popped home his 18th goal of the season in front to lift the lead for the Bugs to 5-3. Andrew Jackson and Billy Feczko got the assists on Harrison’s goal.
Maiszon Balboa was solid in net making 38 saves to pick up his tenth win of the season as he is now 5-0-1 in his last six starts.
The Mudbugs will conclude their two-game series against the Ice Rays tomorrow evening at the American Bank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.