The Shreveport Mudbugs (26-21-9) missed some glorious scoring chances and fell late to the Corpus Christi Ice Rays, 4-1 Saturday night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
The Bugs and Ice Rays opened up the game with big hits, seven penalties combined and no scoring in the opening period. Corpus Christi led in SOG, 12-8 after one.
The game stayed scoreless until the familiar foe Kyle Moore raced up the ice from the near side and flipped in the game’s first goal at 11:54 giving the Ice Rays a 1-0 lead. The Bugs missed some glorious chances in the period including a wide open net late in the stanza. Corpus Christi led in SOG, 25-19 after two periods of play.
The game stayed 1-0 until late in the 3rd period when Moore burned the Bugs again at 17:43 with a quick wrister from the slot to put the Ice Rays up 2-0. Shreveport then pulled their Maiszon Balboa in hopes of a comeback, but Anthony Yurkins tapped home an EN goal at 18:07 to make it a 3-0 contest. Mark Capkovic then raced up the ice from the right wing and lifted in his first goal of the season – top shelf to break the shutout bid from Rays goalie Brian George and make it a 3-1 contest. The Ice Rays scored another goal at 19:12 off the powerplay to close out a 4-1 victory over the Mudbugs.
The Mudbugs will conclude their regular season home schedule next weekend as they host the Odessa Jackalopes next Friday and Saturday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:11 p.m. for both contests. It will be appreciation weekend as we’ll thank and honor all of our season ticket holders, corporate partners, billet and player families.