Clark's Two Goals Help Bugs to Win

November 28, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release


BOSSIER CITY, LA - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs built a 4-1 lead but had to hold on in the final moments to earn a 4-3 victory over Rio Grande Valley on Friday night at CenturyTel Center. The win moves Bossier-Shreveport to 10-4-2 this season and back into sole possession of second place in the Northeast Division.

Neil Clark scored twice, Dale Lupul had three assists and Joe Ori had two as the Mudbugs scored two goals in each of the first two periods to go up 4-1 on their way to winning their fourth straight home game.

It didn't take long for the Bugs to start the scoring in this contest, with Brett Smith's slapshot from the blueline finding the back of the net just 14 seconds into the game to make it 1-0 Bossier-Shreveport. Neil Clark added to the lead later in the first, going five-hole on Christian Boucher with a hard wrist shot from along the boards. That goal gave the Mudbugs a 2-0 lead after the first period.

Rio Grande Valley cut that lead in half midway through the second when Aaron Lee got behind the defense and beat Ken Carroll in tight to make it 2-1. Just over two minutes later though, Brett Angel was parked at the top of the crease and tucked in a rebound to regain the two-goal advantage for the Mudbugs. The Bugs increased the lead to 4-1 with less than a minute left in the period when Clark scored his second of the night on a nice low wrist shot that beat Boucher just inside the post.

The Killer Bees kept battling in the third period though, getting goals from Travis Banga and Zak McClellan to cut the lead to one with just over three minutes remaining. The Mudbugs buckled down though and Carroll made a couple of key saves in the closing minutes to preserve the 4-3 victory.

Carroll made 22 stops in total and improved to 4-2-1 on the season, while Boucher had 28 saves in defeat as the Mudbugs outshot the Killer Bees 32-25. The Bugs were 0 for 5 on the powerplay and Rio Grande Valley missed on seven powerplay chances.

Coming up Saturday night, the Mudbugs are right back at it against the rival Texas Brahmas at 7:05 pm at CenturyTel Center. Texas has won three straight against Bossier-Shreveport, who is 1-1-2 vs. the Brahmas through four of ten regular season meetings between the teams this year. The last time the Brahmas were at CenturyTel Center was CHL opening night when the Mudbugs cruised to a 5-1 victory. Individual tickets for Saturday night's game are available through Ticketmaster at 318-741-9700, while group and flex ticket packages are on sale at the Mudbugs office at 318-752-BUGS.



Central Hockey League Stories from November 28, 2008


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