Steele’s Pair of Goals Help Lift Bugs over Rhinos

Oct 8, 2021

The Shreveport Mudbugs (3-3-1) got a pair of goals from their Captain to earn a 5-3 victory over the El Paso Rhinos Friday night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
The Bugs got off to a hot start when Austin Brimmer picked up a loose puck in the LW circle and roofed in his second goal in as many games to give Shreveport an early 1-0 lead at 9:14 of the opening period. Jacob OnStott and Evan Mitchell did the work down low and earned the assists. El Paso came back a minute later as it was Connor McGrath shot in his second tally of the season from the LW circle to even the score, 1-1 at 10:46. The Bugs regained the lead as it was Burke Simpson who was able to shovel home his second goal of the campaign after great work from Tim Khokhlachev circling the net and finding a great centering pass in front to make it a 2-1 contest at 16:22. Shreveport put the icing on the cake of the opening frame when Garrett Steele slammed home his first goal of the season to push the lead to 3-1 in favor of the home team. Connor Gatto and Logan Valkama were able to set up their Captain in front.
El Paso owned the second period and got goals at 5:32 and 16:10 from Jonathan Horn and Nick Turek respectively to even the score, 3-3.
The Bugs broke the tie in the 3rd period when Garrett Steele took advantage on the PP when he fired a shot toward the net which was initially stopped but blazed in on the rebound from the Captain for his second tally of the game and season to give Shreveport a 4-3 lead at 10:17 of the 3rd period. Shreveport got an insurance tally from Ryan Williams as he rang a puck off the post and in for his first goal as a Bug to make it a 5-3 contest.
Devon Bobak earned his second win in net making 25 saves on the night.

The Bugs and Rhinos will conclude their two-game series tomorrow night at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:11 p.m. ​