The last week of the Mudbugs of the six-week road trip is done and the road has not been kind to our beloved hockey team. The Mudbugs dropped both games against the Odessa Jackalopes on the final leg of the road trip. Shreveport has now dropped their last eight games and only added 2 points in their standings. It’s also the eighth consecutive game where an opponent has scored more than three goals in the game. Shreveport has struggled to find offense only scoring more than 3 goals once in the last eight. The Mudbugs are also in last place in the NAHL on scoring. The Mudbugs are getting in a dangerous position in the standings in last place in the South Division and six points behind the seventh place. It’s a long season to go but they are currently 11 points away from a playoff spot. They will be looking forward to seeing George’s Pond and friendly faces.
Odessa 4, Shreveport 2 (Friday)
The Mudbugs struggled with the power play but it’s not what you think. They struggled when they were in the power play. Odessa scored two short-handed goals against Shreveport during power plays to push to the win. The Mudbugs fell to 1-7-0-1 on Friday games.
The first shorthanded goal came in nine minutes into the game. Odessa’s Ryan Kusler was sent to the penalty box with cross-checking call. Fifty seconds into the power play, Christopher Duclair scored the shorthanded goal for Odessa. Kusler gave the Mudbugs another opportunity on a boarding charge but killed the power play. Odessa had a 1-0 lead. The shot count was fairly even with Shreveport’s slight edge of 7-6.
Jake Mack even the game just 43 seconds into the second period. Logan Valkama was credited with the assist. Austin Brimmer gave the Jackalopes a power-play opportunity with a tripping penalty. Shreveport successfully defended against the power-play. Not long after getting back to full strength, Mudbugs Lukas Sedlacek and Odessa’s Trevor Taulien were called for roughing. Odessa sent an additional to the box as Emerson Goode was charged for hooking giving Shreveport a power play. The power play was shortened as Timofei Kokhlachev was called for interference. The two played 4 on 4 hockey for 15 seconds before Odessa rolled into a power play. No damage was done to the score by the two chances and 4 on 4 hockey. Odessa would give the Mudbugs the last 1:46 a power play but successfully defended the remainder of the period. The two remained tied 1-1 heading into the final period.
Shreveport had a 14-second advantage starting the third. Mudbugs couldn’t capitalize. Frank Dovarny gave Shreveport another opportunity at 16:34 remaining in the game with unsportsmanlike conduct. The second shorthanded goal for the game came during the power play when Trevor Taulien netted a goal to take back the lead for Odessa. Odessa continued to head to the box as Ryan Mansfield was charged with hooking. Jake Mack took his second goal shortly into the power play to knot the game at 2-2. Davis Goukler was given the assist. With about 6 1/2 minutes remaining, Odessa took the lead back as Christopher Duclair scored the goal. Shreveport went for the extra man advantage late pulling Bobak. Just five seconds after Bobak was out, Liam O’Hare grabbed the empty netter to seal the 4-2 win for the Jackalopes.
Odessa 5, Shreveport 1 (Saturday)
The shorthanded goal struggles continued into Saturday night as they gave up two more for a total of four for the weekend.
Odessa took the first goal on the second night of the series with a shot by William Marshall. The two teams went to 4 on 4 hockey when Shreveport’s Timofei Khokhlachev was called for boarding and Odessa’s Dayne Hoyord was giving a roughing call. Odessa scored their second goal when Connor Couet netted the 4 on 4 goals. Shreveport received a power play but the one-man advantage was only 43 seconds as Austin Brimmer was charged with an interference call. Both teams survived the 4 on 4. Shreveport killed the remaining power play. Niklas Miller was sent to the locker room for a kneeing major penalty making the Mudbugs defend against a power play for the remainder of the first period and part of the second. Odessa’s Rylan Yates made it 4 on 4 for the final 1:39 of the first period. Odessa took a 2-0 lead into the second period. The Jackalopes outshot the Mudbugs 14-5 in the first period.
Shreveport survived the major penalty from the first period but Emerson Good struck with close to 16 minutes left in the second period to push the lead to 3-0. Odessa gave back-to-back power plays to Shreveport. Odessa beat the first one, but the Mudbugs gave up their third shorthanded goal in two days. Christopher Duclair took the 4-0 lead for Odessa. The fired-up Jackalopes struck again in the same power play with a second short-handed goal scored by Mike Manzo. Mudbugs were down 5-0. Shreveport got two more power plays but was unable to score. The second one would carry over to the third period. Shreveport outshot the Odessa 12-4. Jackalopes carried a 5-0 lead into the final period.
The Mudbugs stopped the shutout with a goal by Logan Valkama and an assist by Jake Mack. Shreveport got another power play with a roughing penalty in the third penalty. The wheels came off in the third period once again. At 9:33 remaining in the game, Shreveport’s Davis Goukler and Odessa’s Mike Manzo were both charged with fighting and given a major and 10 minute miscellaneous. Goukler added an aggressor game misconduct. Both teams were charged with offensive language. Mudbug Lukas Sedlacek and Odessa Nick Ahearn left the bench to join the melee. Sedlacek added an aggressor and attempt to injure match penalty. Jackalope Charlie Banquier was given a major slashing and game misconduct penalty. Baquier also was charged with abuse of an official game misconduct. The Mudbugs excited the six-week road trip with the 5-1 loss
Shreveport will finally get to experience home sweet home. The boys are back in town headed towards home sweet home on Friday and Saturday night a 7:11 to face the Amarillo Wranglers. On Friday night, the boys want to hang out with a post-game party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Bossier City. Saturday night bring a teddy bear or two as they will have their annual Teddy Bear Toss. The teddy bears will be thrown on the ice after the Mudbugs’ first goal. The teddy bears will be donated to children over the holidays.
First Line
| Player | Position | Stats |
| Davis Goukler | D | 1 assist, 6 shots, -2 |
| Evan Mitchell | D | 3 shots, 0 +/- |
| Jake Mack | F | 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 shots, -1 |
| Logan Valkama | F | 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, -4 |
| Devon Bobak | G | 38 saves |
Second Line
| Player | Position | Stats |
| John Hallard | D | 1 shot, -2 |
| Trenton Heyde | D | 2 shots, -1 |
| Logan Gotinsky | F | 6 shots, 0 +/- |
| Drake Morse | F | 4 shots, -1 |
South Division Standing
| Games Played | W-L-OTL-SOL | Pts | |
| Amarillo | 21 | 16-5-0-0 | 32 |
| New Mexico | 22 | 14-7-1-0 | 29 |
| Odessa | 22 | 14-7-0-1 | 29 |
| Lone Star | 21 | 10-6-4-1 | 25 |
| Wichita Falls | 22 | 10-8-3-1 | 24 |
| El Paso | 21 | 9-10-2-0 | 20 |
| Corpus Christi | 23 | 9-12-2-0 | 20 |
| Shreveport | 20 | 5-11-1-3 | 14 |
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