The Shreveport Mudbugs (1-1) fell to the El Paso Rhinos, 3-2 in the 4th OT in front of another raucous crowd at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum Saturday night evening up the series, 1-1.
SHV out-shot ELP, 12-6 after a scoreless opening period. The Bugs were 0 for 2 in the opening frame as well.
The Bugs broke the ice at 10:07 of the second period off a neutral zone turnover and it was Brayden Cook racing through the right and snapping in his first goal of the postseason to give SHV a 1-0 lead. Kyan Haldenby got it over to Cook to earn the only assist on the play. ELP responded late in the middle frame when Luke Lindsay found some space from the right point and shot in a goal to even the score, 1-1 at 19:36. Shreveport led in SOG, 24-18 after two.
The Bugs regained the lead on the PP at 3:08 when Logan Heroux got in the slot and wired home his first goal of the playoffs to give SHV a 2-1 lead. Haldenby picked up another assist. The Rhinos answered yet again at 19:18 when Medrick Bolduc banged in a goal off a wraparound pass to even the score, 2-2 sending the game into sudden death OT.
The game stayed tied until the 2:13 mark of the 4th OT when Eddie Shepler slipped one in off the glove of Seguin-Lescarbeau and into the net giving the Rhinos a 3-2 win.
The Bugs and Rhinos will shift their South Divisional Semi-Final Series to the El Paso County Events Center for game 3 next Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.