The Shreveport Mudbugs made their annual beginning of the season showcase in Blaine, MN.  Having to fill multiple spots on the roster, the Mudbugs finished the week 1-3 and tied for 7th in the South.  The South Division proved to dominate again posting a 20-11-0-1 record overall in the showcase.

Mudbugs 3, Minnesota Wilderness 1

The Shreveport Mudbugs kicked off the 2022-23 NAHL season winning the opening game of the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota.    

Shreveport was only 1 minute and 43 seconds into the NAHL season and Niklas Miller scored the first goal.  Drake Morris and Logan Valkama we’re credited with assists.  The Mudbugs received three power play opportunities including a brief 5 on 3 chance.   Minnesota had one power play with a cross-checking call against but the defense held.  Shreveport kept the 1-0 lead after the first period.  Shreveport outshot Minnesota 11-6.  

The second period saw Mack return to the penalty box again this time on a slashing call.  The Mudbugs survived once again.  Shreveport had their opportunity at two more power plays.  The last in the second period would carry forward into the third. Shreveport once again outshot the Wilderness 12-7.  The score remained at 1-0.  

Minnesota outlasted the remaining power play from the second period.  Evan Mitchell took his turn in the penalty box on a holding call but the Mudbugs killed the power play.  Minnesota’s Isak Posch gave the Mudbugs a power play with a delay of game.  Niklas Miller gained his second goal.  Hayden Nichol and Maksim Sushchynski were given the assists.  Mudbugs were up 2-0 with a little over half a period to go.  Minnesota closed in on their power play opportunity with a goal by Cole Gordon.  Shreveport added one more goal in the last minute by Hayden Nichol and an assist by Logan Heroux to take the 3-1 win.  

North Iowa 1, Mudbugs 0

The Mudbugs got their first loss of the season as the lone goal for the Bulls was enough to take the win.  

Neither team could get the first goal in the first period. The Bulls had one power play opportunity when Matthew Danziger interference penalty.   Mudbugs’ defense killed the power play.  

Bulls’ Logan Dombrowsky netted the goal a little over halfway through the second period.  Shreveport was given two power plays in the second period.  North Iowa took the 1-0 lead headed into the final period.  

Just 18 seconds into the third period, Logan Valkama headed to the sin bin on a boarding call.  The Mudbugs survived the second power play.  Shreveport had their power play situation with 11:58 remaining.  North Iowa shut it down to maintain its lead.   The Mudbugs gave another power play with a little 4 minutes left.  Shreveport kept the lead from growing but was unable to close the gap for the remainder.  

Springfield 4, Mudbugs 2

Shreveport dropped the second game at the showcase in the last five minutes of the third period.  

The Mudbugs got the first opportunity in the first three minutes.  No chance for the Mudbugs as the Jr. Blues squashed the power play.  Andrew Schultz gave Springfield the first goal of the game.  Just nine seconds later, Logan Fursteneau netted the goal with help from Jaden Goldie and Logan Gotinsky.   Shreveport got a second power play.  With eight seconds left in the power play, Fursteneau captured his second goal.  Garrett Steele and Logan Heroux were credited with the assists.  Shreveport took a 2-1 lead after one period.  

Despite having two more power play opportunities, Shreveport couldn’t build on the 2-1 lead in the second period.  

Shreveport survived the first power play, but not the second.  Tristan Zarsky was put in the penalty box on a slashing call.  Hadley Haduk tied the score at 2-2 with Brayden Cook and Alex Fendler.   The final five minutes were not kind to the Mudbugs.  Springfield took the lead on Jagur McClelland’s goal with 4:34 remaining.   The Jr Blues added an insurance goal with 29 seconds left with a goal by Tyler Borgula.  

Philadelphia 4, Mudbugs 2

The Mudbugs attempted to climb out of a 3-0 deficit against the Philadephia Rebels but came up short in the final game at the NAHL showcase.  

Philadelphia scored the first goal when Klaus Jogi.  Philadelphia held on to the 1-0 after one period

Shreveport was given a power play a little over four minutes into the second period.  Ten seconds into the power play, Philadelphia’s Maxwell Marquette netted the short-handed goal.  The Rebels’ Dylan Blue gave the Mudbugs a 3-0 hole to dog out from.  Jake Mack found the goal shots that were needed with 11:01 left in the second period.  Jaden Goldie and Aiden Dixon were credited with the assists.  Mack found the back of the net again with help from Goldie and. this time Logan Heroux.  Shreveport had cut the lead to 3-2.  

Didn’t take long for the Rebels to widen the lead to 4-2 with a goal just 47 seconds into the third period.  Max Hamstad score the insurance goal.  Philadephia held on to the 4-2 lead for the remainder of the game.  

The Shreveport Mudbugs will have their first series at home against the undefeated Amarillo Wranglers on Friday and Saturday night with puck drop at 7:11 pm

First Line

Logan Heroux, D, 3 A, 10 shots, 0 +\-

Maxim Suschynski, D, 1 A, 5 shots, -1

Niklas Miller, F, 2 G, 8 shots, 0 +\-

Logan Furstenau, F, 2 G, 6 shots, +1

Tommy Aitken, G, 6 GA, 61 Saves, 91.0 Sv %,  1-2, 180 Min

Second Line

Aiden Dixon, D, 1 A, 2 shots, +1

Matthew Danzinger, 5 shots, +3

Jake Mack, F, 2 G, 2 shots, +1

Jaden Goldie, F, 3 A, 2 shots, +1

South Division Standings

W-L-T-OTL-SOLPts
Amarillo4-0-0-08
Okla. City4-0-0-08
El Paso3-1-0-06
Lone Star3-1-0-06
New Mexico3-1-0-06
Odessa1-2-0-13
Corpus Christi1-3-0-02
Shrevport1-3-0-02

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