The Shreveport Mudbugs (13-10-4) scored goals early in the first two periods of the game to beat the Corpus Christi IceRays, 3-1 in George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum Friday night.
Shreveport got the party started early at 2:15 of the opening period when Captain Garrett Steele poked home his team-leading 10th tally of the season along the far post to give the Bugs an early 1-0 edge. Brent Litchard and Logan Heroux earned the assists on the game’s opening goal. The Bugs added another when Ryan Burke created space in the slot and snapped home his fourth goal of the campaign to give SHV a 2-0 edge at 10:13. Kason Muscutt and Hayden Nichol picked up the helpers. Corpus Christi responded just 15 seconds at 10:28 when Cameron Crolley burst through the zone on a breakaway and backhanded home his seventh goal of the season to make it a 2-1 contest. The Mudbugs led in SOG, 19-5 after one.
The Bugs increased their lead early in the second period at 1:24 when Jadie Goldie came around the far side and jolted in his fourth goal of the season. Eric Vitale and Aidan Dixon earned the helpers on Goldie’s goal. SHV dominated in SOG, up 35-11 after two.
The Bugs stopped any push in the third period from the IceRays to win their sixth game out of their last seven.
Simon Bucheler had to make just 16 stops to earn his 10th win in net.
The Bugs and IceRays will conclude their two-game series tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 p.m. from George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum.