The Shreveport Mudbugs (40-16-2) couldn’t overcome an early deficit and stumbled yet again against the Oklahoma Warriors dropping a 4-1 decision at Blazers Ice Centre Saturday night.
OKW got on the board at 4:37 of the opening period when they got the puck in the slot and it was William Ahlrik who slid in his 19th goal of the season and second in this series to give the Warriors an early 1-0 edge. The Bugs generated lots of chances in the opening out-shooting OKC, 15-9 after one.
OKW cashed in on their first PP of the game at 4:14 of the second period when Drew Sutton raced into the slot and roofed in his 20th tally of the year just underneath the crossbar to make it 2-0. SHV put 15 more shots on net in the second, but couldn’t score as the SOG totals were 30-19 in favor of the Mudbugs after two.
SHV climbed back into the game at 3:23 of the third period as Brayden Cook got in front and poked home a greasy goal for his 16th of the campaign to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. That would be the closest SHV would get as Anthony Cafarelli would steal the puck in the neutral zone and lift in his 20th tally of the season making it 3-1 at 15:38. Louie Kamienski would add an EN goal at 18:10 closing out a 4-1 victory for the Warriors over the Bugs.
Bugs get swept in a series for the first time since getting swept by Odessa at home on Jan. 12-13th.
The Bugs will host their last regular season series next Friday night against the El Paso Rhinos. It’ll be our “Appreciate the 318” themed weekend w/ Game one of the two-game series set for a 7:11 p.m. puck drop from George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.