By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports
For the past month, the Shreveport Mudbugs’ stellar play has been rewarded. Not only did the Mudbugs enter Saturday’s game at Odessa on a seven-game win streak, they’d seemingly had everything involving other teams go their way in the South Division standings.
Shreveport climbed within two points of second-place Lone Star and just a single point stood between the Mudbugs and a playoff position.
However, the run of terrific play and good luck ended – at least temporarily.
For starters, Odessa defeated Shreveport, 5-2, on Saturday. It marked the first time since Feb. 3 – the team’s last trip to Odessa — the Mudbugs allowed more than four goals in a game. Shreveport, 3-1 winners on Friday, had allowed a total of two goals in its past four games entering Saturday.
“Our lack of puck responsibility was unacceptable,” Mudbugs head coach Jason Campbell told the Journal. “We turned pucks over coming out of our end – especially when we had 100 percent possession — too much and at their blue line too much.”
To top things off, Amarillo prevented a playoff clinching evening thanks to its victory against Corpus Christi and Lone Star completed a shutout sweep of New Mexico.
“You’re that close to clinching a playoff spot. You’re excited for that opportunity to clinch,” Campbell said. “There is a different level of excitement there for these last six games, fighting to clinch that spot and then getting your team ready for a playoff run – hopefully a long one.”
The Mudbugs could clinch a playoff spot before they play their next game – Friday night’s series opener at first-place Oklahoma. If Amarillo loses at Corpus Christi on Thursday night, the only thing left to decide for Shreveport would be seeding.
If Amarillo takes care of business, Shreveport needs just a single point against the Warriors.
Last week’s 3 Stars
- Garrett Steele, the captain is finishing his long career in Shreveport in style. Saturday, he scored his 20th goal of the season during his 200th NAHL game.
- Drake Morse, added three points on the weekend to extend his team lead this season.
- Simon Bucheler, the goaltender stopped 22 of 23 shots to pick up his league-leading 25th win Friday.
NAHL South Division standings
x-Oklahoma (42-11-1), 85 points
x-Lone Star (34-12-7), 75
Shreveport (32-15-7), 71
New Mexico (30-21-3), 63
Amarillo (28-23-3), 59
Odessa (26-24-3), 55
El Paso (16-34-4), 36
Corpus Christi (11-36-7), 29
*top four make the playoffs
x-clinched playoff spot
Team leaders
Goals: Garrett Steele, 20
Assists: Logan Heroux, 26
Points: Drake Morse, 41
Penalty Minutes: Liam Fleet, 86
Game-winning goals: Hayden Nichol, Jake Mack, Morse 4
Goals-against average: Simon Bucheler, 1.92
Save percentage: Bucheler, .923
Up next
Shreveport’s four-game road trip ends with a trip to play Oklahoma on Friday and Saturday (7:15 p.m.)
Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @roylangiii
