JOURNAL SPORTS
After a 7-3 triumph at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum Friday night, it seemed the fourth-place Shreveport Mudbugs would finally get over their Oklahoma stumbling block, but the last-place Warriors pulled off a 4-2 win Saturday night to scuttle the Bugs’ bid to sweep.
Oklahoma came in with a 3-2 record against Shreveport although the Warriors had just nine wins overall. Friday night, the Mudbugs (now 16-12, and fourth in the NAHL South Division with 32 points) gradually pushed away from the visitors (10-16, 25 points, still in ninth place).
Shreveport lit the lamp at 4:03 of the opening period as Carter McKay had some space and rattled home his third tally of the year from the near side to give the Bugs an early 1-0 edge. Seth Murch earned the only helper. The Bugs extended their lead quickly at 4:36 as Brent Litchard whacked in his ninth goal of the season in front, assisted by Murch. After Oklahoma scored to make it 2-1, the Bugs grabbed their two-goal lead again at Lucas Deeb toe dragged himself into the slot and snapped home his 11th goal of the year.
Shreveport extended the lead at 7:54 of the second as Mason Wright deflected home his first goal as a Bug to give his team a 4-1 edge. Murch picked up his third assist of the contest. After Oklahoma answered, the Bugs regained their three-goal edge as Aidan Puley took a brilliant pass from Bode Wise and snapped home his eighth goal of the season to make it 5-2. The Warriors tallied two seconds before the end of the period to make it a 5-3 contest.
Litchard rifled home a rebound from the far side for his second goal of the game for a 6-3 lead. In the final minute, newcomer Salvatore Viviano smacked in his first goal as a Bug.
Nikola Goich picked up the win in net making 22 stops.
Saturday night, the Mudbugs faltered.
The Warriors netted a pair of goals from Travis Bryson and Sebastian Speck at 3:47 and 18:23 respectively to give the visiting team an early 2-0 lead.
Shreveport got on the board at 18:56 of the second on a fluke play where the Bugs crashed the net and Ryan Baert knocked the puck in midair and into the net for his second goal of the season.
Oklahoma got the game-winner as Louie Kamienski tipped home his 14th goal of the year to make it a 3-1 contest. The Warriors cashed an empty netter from Trent Burlison to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The Bugs posted a late goal from Salvatore Viviano which was his second goal in as many games.
Shreveport will hit the road after Christmas for a three-game series with the South Division-leading Corpus Christi IceRays beginning Friday night on the Texas Gulf coast.