The Shreveport Mudbugs (9-1) got the game-winning goal early in the 3rd period from Joe Mack to help them get past the Aberdeen Wings, 4-2 Tuesday night to win the 2021 Robertson Cup for the second time in three years.
The Bugs and Wings were scoreless after a hard-hitting opening period. Both teams had PP chances and came up empty, but it was Shreveport who led in SOG, 13-9 after one.
The Mudbugs broke through just 54 seconds into the 2nd period when Sean Bunting drove towards the net from the RW circle and went five-hole on Jake Sibell to give the Bugs a 1-0 lead. The goal was unassisted from Bunting and his first point in these playoffs. The Bugs extended their lead at 9:37 when Gio Procopio tipped home his fifth goal of the playoffs off a blast from Chris Hedden from the left point to make it a 2-0 edge for Shreveport. Dawson Sciarrino got the secondary helper on Procopio’s tally. Aberdeen would respond on the PP at 13:05 when Liam Fraser threw a shot through traffic which found its way through for his second goal of the playoffs cutting the Bugs lead to 2-1. The Bugs led in SOG, 22-14 after two.
The Bugs grabbed a two-goal lead again early in the 3rd period on the PP when Joe Mack pinballed a goal past Sibell to make it a 3-1 contest just 46 seconds in. It was Mack’s 2nd goal of these playoffs and it was unassisted. The Wings responded yet again as Fraser nudged home his second goal of the game at 3:13 to make it a 3-2 game. The Bugs would hold off a furious surge from Aberdeen as Aidan Metcalfe fired home an EN goal with five seconds in the game to seal up a 4-2 victory and a second Robertson Cup in five years of being in the NAHL.
Cole Hudson finished these playoffs at 9-0 making just 18 saves on the night.
The Mudbugs won nine straight games to end their postseason and win the 2021 Robertson Cup.