2/24 BUGS VS. YOUNGSTOWN

STEELHOUNDS WIN IN SHOOTOUT; BUGS IN TIE FOR FIRST
By Roy Lang III
rflang@gannett.com
The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs got all the help they needed Saturday. The Memphis RiverKings, the leaders in the Northeast Division, lost to Central Hockey League-worst Rocky Mountain and the Colorado Eagles lost to expansion Arizona.
Things appeared to be ducky in the chilly CenturyTel Center, too. The Mudbugs were involved in exactly what they wanted -- a tight, low-scoring affair with the Youngstown SteelHounds.
However, the Mudbugs failed to put the final star in alignment.
Chris Richards scored twice, including the game-winner in a shootout, and the SteelHounds escaped with a 3-2 victory in front of a stunned overflow crowd of more than 7,600 at CTC.
The long bright spot was the Memphis loss and the Mudbugs’ presence at the top of the division. For four months, Bossier-Shreveport (33-12-6) has been trying to claw out of a hole in the Northeast Division. Saturday, it reached the surface.
Bossier-Shreveport is also just two points back of Colorado for the top overall seed.
“We took the point out of it, at least we tied Memphis,” Downs said. “We did some good things – play two good periods at least, we were a bit rusty in the first, but we battled for our point.”
Youngstown goaltender Brad Roberts was incredible in net with 25 saves, plus four of five in the shootout, and soured a two-goal performance from Mudbugs defenseman Jeremy Downs.
The loss was the first in 11 games for Mudbugs rookie goaltender John DeCaro, who made 22 saves and two of four in the shootout.
Shaun Landolt scored on the SteelHounds’ first attempt in the shootout and the game ended when Mudbugs captain Dan Wildfong couldn’t muster a shot as the team’s fifth shooter. Daniel Pegoraro was the only Mudbug to beat Roberts in the shootout.
The Mudbugs were plagued by an inordinate amount of turnovers in the middle of the ice – particularly in its own zone.
“We weren’t as sharp as we’d like to be, there’s no question about it,” Muscutt said. “We’ve just been playing well lately and maybe we’re trying to put the cart before the horse and got away from our game a little.”
The final 90 seconds of the overtime were hectic. Roberts stood strong, making several saves during a flurry in front of the net. He robbed a Chris Abbott forehand attempt with a minute to go.
“That’s our game plan – clog up the middle, keep everything to the outside and let the goalies make the saves outside,” Youngstown head coach Kevin Kaminski said. “Roberts has shown some poise and has really matured since the start of the season. He’s given us a chance to win every night and that’s all you can ask for.”
Youngstown, 5-0-1, in its past six games, ended the Mudbugs’ six-game winning streak. The SteelHounds were the last team to defeat Bossier-Shreveport before Saturday.
The Mudbugs hit the road for a game at Tulsa on Tuesday. The game kicks off four straight against the Oilers, who play a pair at CTC on next weekend.
Youngstown caught a bit of a break to score the game’s first goal – a power play tally late in the first period.
Stephen Margeson attempted a slap shot from the point, but nearly whiffed. The puck trickled toward Mudbugs forward Daniel Pegoraro, who seemed to be caught off guard by the off-speed puck. The rookie missed his clearing attempt and the puck went right to Chris Richard’s tape in the slot.
Richards sent a wrister over the blocker of DeCaro and the SteelHounds led 1-0.
“It’s nice to get that first goal on the road, especially against a team that’s been hot,” Kaminski said.
The Mudbugs had a power-play chance of their own late in the first period, but Roberts made one of the best saves of the year.
The netminder stopped Cam Abbott on a breakaway with a last-second leg save to his right.
The Mudbugs shut Youngstown down in the second period. After allowing 11 SteelHounds shots in the first, Bossier-Shreveport gave up only four in the middle period.
The Mudbugs’ offense remained stymied by Roberts until a power-play goal tied the game late in the period.
Defenseman Jeremy Downs let a slapper fly from the blue line and Roberts, who had been spectacular all night, let it through with 4:57 left.
Dallas Anderson skated into the Mudbugs’ zone down the left wing and used his 6-foot-6, 228-pound frame to work around defenseman Ryan Fairbarn and issue a shot on DeCaro. The rookie goalie wasn’t able to control the puck and Brad Patterson was there to chip in the rebound 4 minutes into the third period.
With nine seconds left in a power play midway through the third, the Mudbugs tied the score at 2 when Downs set another slap shot into the Youngstown net.
The defenseman doubled his goal output for the season. His two previous goals came against Odessa on Dec. 30.
The Mudbugs were awarded a power play with 2 minutes left in regulation, but were unable to capitalize.
Roberts made a pad save on a rocket from Chris Brassard with 5 seconds left.

YOUNGSTOWN UP 1-0 AFTER ONE
Youngstown caught a bit of a break to score the game’s first goal – a power play tally late in the first period.
Stephen Margeson attempted a slap shot from the point, but nearly whiffed. The puck trickled toward Mudbugs forward Daniel Pegoraro, who seemed to be caught off guard by the off-speed puck. The rookie missed his clearing attempt and the puck went right to Chris Richard’s tape in the slot.
Richards sent a wrister over the blocker of DeCaro and the SteelHounds led 1-0.
The Mudbugs had a power-play chance of their own late in the first period, but Roberts made one of the best saves of the year.
The netminder stopped Cam Abbott on a breakaway with a last-second leg save to his right.

WILDFONG ON TIME TODAY
Captain Dan Wildfong is at the rink today, on time. Last night, an immigration issue in New Orleans left him at the rink's doorstep at 7 p.m., five minutes before the faceoff against Rocky Mountain.

DECARO VS. ROBERTS
John DeCaro, after a game off due to the return of Ken Carroll, gets the start between the pipes tonight for the Mudbugs. Brad Roberts will start for Youngstown.
The Mudbugs enter the game on a six-game win streak while the SteelHounds are 4-0-1 in their past four games.

PREVIEW OF TONIGHT'S GAME
The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs look to continue their hot play tonight against Youngstown at CenturyTel Center (7:05 p.m.). Ken Carroll made his return between the pipes Friday, but rookie John DeCaro will play tonight.
The SteelHounds defeated Memphis, the Northeast Division leader, last night in overtime while the Mudbugs were forced to come back three times to defeat CHL-worst Rocky Mountain at CTC.
The Mudbugs will try to avoid the quick pace of Friday's game at all cost tonight. Youngstown brings the CHL's top two scorers to town in Jeff Christian and Chris Richards.
"We have to have a bigger effort Saturday," said Mudbugs captain Dan Wildfong, who scored twice Friday despite arriving to the CTC five minutes prior to the faceoff. "I don't think we played well Friday at all. We have to play better defense. We've been running and gunning too much. That doesn't win in playoffs.
"We'll start honing things in here -- keeping it more simple and not making too many fancy plays."
The Mudbugs could grab a share of the Northeast lead with a win and a Memphis loss to Rocky Mountain. Bossier-Shreveport also stands just three points behind Colorado in the race for the top overall seed.

2/23 VS. ROCKY MOUNTAIN (W, 5-4)

Mudbugs claw past Rage
Better late than never.
Dan Wildfong arrived at CenturyTel Center at 7 p.m., five minutes before the puck was dropped between his Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and the Rocky Mountain Rage. A trip to New Orleans to tend to immigration issues left Wildfong and wife, Kelly, speeding up I-49 on Friday afternoon.
He quickly put on his gear and made it to the bench early in the first period.
“Everyone told me to stretch,” said the Mudbugs captain. “I never stretch.”
Wildfong scored two goals, the last while he was flat on his face, and the Mudbugs held off a pesky Rage squad to collect a 5-4 victory.
Defenseman Ryan Fairbarn scored twice and helped bail out goalie Ken Carroll, who saw his first action in more than two months.
The victory brings the Mudbugs (33-12-5) within one point of Northeast Division leading Memphis. The RiverKings lost in overtime to Youngstown, Bossier-Shreveport’s opponent at CTC tonight.
Rocky Mountain, the Central Hockey League’s worst team (11-32-5), led three times Friday night, but a stretch of three straight Mudbugs goals in the second period did the expansion Rage in.
Fairbarn tallied with just .13 seconds remaining in the second period to give the Mudbugs a 5-3 lead. The goal made the difference.
“It was a weird game,” Mudbugs head coach Scott Muscutt said. “I don’t want to say we didn’t compete. We did compete. But nobody hit anybody and there just weren’t a whole lot of battles out there.”
Bret DeCecco’s goal 7:21 into the final period made it a battle on the scoreboard. In the end, the Rage helped the Mudbugs greatly with some discipline issues as the game wound down.
The Rage put the Mudbugs on the power play for the final 3:29 when Jordan Little took a 5-minute major slashing penalty for a whack to Chris Brassard. John DiPace gave the Mudbugs a 5-on-3 with a goaltender interference penalty and Bossier-Shreveport cruised in the final moments.
David Guererra allowed five goals, but made 36 saves for the Rage and kept the game from getting out of hand.
Unlike last week’s meeting in Colorado, the Rage started quickly Friday night. Poor defense led to a pair of early Rocky Mountain goals on the power play.
Mudbugs defenseman Chris Gustafson turned the puck over behind his own net and the Rage quickly turned the advantage into a 2-on-1 tally 2:32 into the game.
Kyle Kos made good on Dominic Noel’s cross-ice pass and beat Carroll between the pads.
The Mudbugs responded less than two minutes later when defenseman Fairbarn scored from the slot.
Rocky Mountain was not discouraged and answered 59 seconds later when Matic Kralj hit Trevor Weisgerber for a one-timer to regain the lead.
The Mudbugs appeared to get some extra jump on their second power play of the night. Bossier-Shreveport peppered Guererra with six shots and took advantage of their second power play to tie the game at 2.
The Mudbugs totaled 16 shots on nine power plays Friday.
Cam Abbott, the Central Hockey League Player of the Week who saw his six-game point streak come to an end Tuesday, collected his 17th goal of the season.
The Rage saw more of the same early in the second period, when Mark Wires scored courtesy of a cross-ice pass on the power play.
After the Rage took their third lead of the evening, the Mudbugs began to show a little life.
Wildfong netted a rebound from a Brian Sutherland shot to tie game with 8:50 left in second. The captain followed that with a head-first power-play tally to give the Mudbugs their first lead of the game.
In a wild 4-on-3 advantage over the period’s final moments, Fairbarn gave the Mudbugs a two-goal advantage with his second goal. His slap shot went between the pipes with just .13 seconds left.
The Mudbugs killed a 5-on-3 disadvantage early in the third and appeared to have control until a turnover led to a goal by DeCecco with 12:39 left.TIED 2-2 AFTER ONE
Unlike last week’s meeting in Colorado, the Rage started quickly Friday night. Poor early defense led to a pair of early Rocky Mountain goals on the power play.
Mudbugs defenseman Chris Gustafson turned the puck over behind his own net and the Rage quickly turned the advantage into a 2-on-1 tally 2:32 into the game.
Kyle Kos made good on Dominic Noel’s cross-ice pass and beat Carroll between the pads.
The Mudbugs responded less than two minutes later when defenseman Ryan Fairbarn scored from the slot.
Rocky Mountain was discourage and answered 59 seconds later when Matic Kralj hit Trevor Weisgerber for a one-timer to help the Rage regain the lead.
The Mudbugs appeared to get some extra jump on their second power play of the night. Bossier-Shreveport peppered Guererra with six shots and took advantage of their second power play to tie the game at 2.
Cam Abbott, the Central Hockey League Player of the Week who saw his six-game point streak come to an end Tuesday, collected his 17th goal of the season.

WILDFONG RETURNS, BASILE OUT
Captain Dan Wildfong and Jason Basile will not play tonight against the Rage. It’s likely a night off for Wildfong and an attempt to keep Basile under the vet limit for next year. As Mr. Michael Hebert said, “this is like going to a Yankees game and Jeter not playing.”
Pretty much true.
Well, Wildfong made his way onto the ice early in the first period.

GAMESMANSHIP STARTS EARLY
Billy T. Welker put the O in OCD. You don’t mess with the Mudbugs’ equipment manager without consequences.
Well before the teams hit the ice for the pregame skate, a Rocky Mountain player was messing with the stack of practice pucks. Welker warned him not to, but that didn’t work. So Welker promptly went over and swiped all the pucks.
Only in the CHL!

SUPERMAN IS BACK!
Ken Carroll will make his first start since mid-December tonight against the Rocky Mountain Rage. Carroll, a perennial All-Star, was out with a torn MCL. David Guerrera, a star against the Mudbugs in the 2004 President's Cup Finals (with Laredo), will play for the Rage.

2/20 BUGS VS. RAYZ

NO ROOM FOR SLOW START
Corpus Christi is one of the best road teams in the Central Hockey League (14-6-5) and it's likely the Mudbugs aren't exactly well-rested after their 4,000-mile journey. But that only emphasizes the importance for Bossier-Shreveport to start strong tonight. Captain Dan Wildfong was looking for a little help from the fans in today's paper, but being a midweek game, there won't be the 7,000 fans in the house we've seen for the past handful of games at CTC.
My belief is the team that comes out and sets the tone early will emerge with the W.
The Rayz will not allow the thrilling comebacks Colorado and Rocky Mountain did.

DECARO VS. ZELENEWICH
It's John DeCaro in net for the Mudbugs against Brent Zelenewich for the Corpus Christi Rayz. Daniel Pegoraro is back in the lineup for the Mudbugs after missing two games with a mouth injury. The rookie is the leading scorer for the Bugs and missed time after taking a slap shot to the mouth in Colorado on Wednesday.
Ken Carroll is back in uniform for the first time since tearing an MCL in December.

2/2 BUGS VS. MEMPHIS

Larry Sterling vs. John DeCaro in net tonight
The current No. 1 goaltenders will play at CenturyTel Center tonight. Sterling is 26-5-3 for Memphis while DeCaro is 14-6-3 for the Mudbugs and a winner in 11 of his past 12 games.
Mudbugs officials expect a near-full house tonight.