Amarillo Wranglers Sweep Mudbugs First Homer Series of 2022-23 Season

Amarillo 4, Mudbugs 1

The Amarillo Wranglers spoiled the home opener with a 4-1 win over the Mudbugs at George’s Pond.  

Amarillo started early with a goal in the first five minutes by Chase Davis.  Shreveport received a power play but the Wranglers survived.  Shreveport gave two late first-period power plays but didn’t give any other goals in the first period.  Amarillo took a 1-0 lead after the first period.  Amarillo outshot Shreveport 6-5.  

Shreveport gave two more power play opportunities early in the second period but the Mudbugs squashed both chances.  Amarillo found the back of the net again late in the period by Nikolas Campbell.  The Wranglers are up 2-0.  Amarillo’s Kyle DeMarco was called on a slashing minor penalty giving the Mudbugs a power play.  The Mudbugs took advantage of the opportunity and Garrett Steele scored with the help of Niklas Miller and Ryan Burke.  Shreveport closed the gap to 2-1.  

The lead was maintained through the first part of the third period.  Jacob Golde received a tripping call to give Amarillo the chance on a power play.  Thirty-nine seconds into a power play Pierce Patterson delivered a vicious cross-checking at the goal and received a major 5-minute penalty following a gross misconduct.  Shreveport attempted to close the gap.  With 2 minutes remaining, the Mudbugs pulled the goalkeeper, Tommy Aitken, to get a one-man advantage.  With 55 seconds remaining, Wrangler Logan Cleary scored the empty-netter.  Trying to keep the one-man advantage.  Aitken remained off the ice.  With 18 seconds remaining, Amarillo scored the second empty netter by Kyle Demarco to give Amarillo game one of the home series.  

Amarillo 2, Mudbugs 1 (SOL)

Saturday night looked to sneak out a split of the series and give the Wranglers its first blemish on its record.  

The Mudbugs played the last four minutes of the period down a man as Jake Mack and Evan Mitchell received back-to-back roughing penalties.  The Mudbug defense held tight and managed to escape without giving up a goal as the two sides remained scoreless.  

Amarillo had a one-man advantage for the first eight seconds as a carryover from the first period.  The Mudbugs killed the power play.  The Mudbugs didn’t have to wait long for a power play opportunity as Chase Davis was sent to the box just 35 seconds into the second period.  Amarillo survived the first power play.  Amarillo gave Shreveport a second power play with Bryson Russell cross-checking.   Jake Mack delivered the first goal on the power play for Shreveport.  Maxim Suschynski was granted the assist.  The gloves came off as Mudbugs Logan Gotinsky and Amarillo’s Tommy Chunchukov squared off.   The two were assessed a 10-minute major for fighting.  Logan Heroux received a two-minute minor for roughing giving Amarillo a power play.   The Mudbugs held the lead through the power play.  With a little over 3 minutes remaining, Amarillo’s Ben Ivey scored to tie the game at 1-1.  

The third period saw another Mudbug’s power play kill and the stalemate sent the game to overtime.  

Four on four overtime didn’t see any goals.  Amarillo fired two shots while Shreveport delivered one.  

The shootout saw a lone goal by Nikolas Campbell being the decider as Amarillo swept the first home series of the Mudbugs.  

The Mudbugs will stay at George’s Pond this coming weekend as they will welcome the 4-1-0-0  newly relocated Oklahoma Warriors on Friday (September 30) and Saturday (October 1).  The puck drops at 7:11 each night.  

First Line

Tristan Zarksy, D, 6 shots, -2

Maksim Sushchynski, 1 assist, 3 shots, -2

Jake Mack, F, 1 goal, 4 shots, 0 +\-

Garrett Steele, 1 goal, 6 shots, -3

Timothy Aitken, G, 46 saves, 93.8% save percentage

Second Line

Logan Heroux, D, 2 shots, 0+\-

Matthew Danzinger, D, 2 shots, 0 +\-

Logan Gotinsky, F, 1 assist, 5 shots, 0 +\-

Ryan Burke, F, 1 assist, 3 shots, -2

South Division Standings