JOURNAL SPORTS
The Shreveport Mudbugs stumbled late and dropped a 3-1 decision to the El Paso Rhinos to split their series Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum.
The Bugs (1-2) won the opener Friday night 4-3 on a late goal by Lucas Deeb in front of another full house.
Saturday night, El Paso got on the board first at 2:27 of the opening period as Alex Pellerin pelted a shot which changed direction and went into the net for his first tally to give the Rhinos the early 1-0 edge. Shreveport responded at 12:11 as Noah Ribeiro took a rebound in front and shoveled in his first goal of the year in his Bugs debut to even the score, 1-1. Kyan Haldenby earned the assist on the game-tying tally.
The game stayed tied 1-1 until the 14:26 mark of the third period when Duke Gentzler knocked in a rebound in front to give the Rhinos a 2-1 lead. Shreveport’s bid to tie was negated when Ryder Many Grey Horses knocked in an empty net goal at 19:36 to make it a 3-1 contest.
Friday, the Mudbugs outlasted the visitors. El Paso (2-2) got on the board at 18:09 in the first when Duke Gentzler found space from the right wing circle and snapped in his first goal of the season to give the visiting team an early 1-0 lead.
Shreveport found the equalizer at 3:12 of the second period as Andrej Paricka fed Brent Litchard who smoked in his first goal of the year from the slot. The Bugs grabbed their first lead of the season at 6:50 on the power play as Gleb Akimov found space in front and scored. Paricka picked up his second assist of the game.
The Rhinos responded at 19:14 as Rasmus Nousianen forced a turnover deep in the offensive zone and shot in his fourth goal of the year to tie the game, 2-2. Shreveport led in shots on goal, 21-16, after two.
The Bugs went up again at 1:28 of the third period as Cole Hutchinson slapped in his first tally of the year from the right point for a 3-2 edge. Lucas Deeb picked up the assist. The Rhinos answered back yet again at 2:05 as Ryan Warner scaled in his first goal of the season from the top of the right circle to make it 3-3.
Shreveport’s game-winner came as Akimov fed Deeb from the far corner, and the veteran roofed in his first tally at 19:51, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Nikola Goich earned the win in net making 19 stops in the contest.
The Bugs will hit the road for the annual Showcase in Minnesota. The first of three games in the week will begin on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. from Schwan Super Rink.