Mudbugs Edge Komets in Shootout
March 18, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release
FORT WAYNE, IN - Justin Aikins and Steven Crampton scored on back-to-back attempts late in the shootout to give the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs a 3-2 win over the Fort Wayne Komets Friday night at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The âBugs now stand at 35-25-3 and have re-taken sole possession of second place in the Berry Conference going into Saturday's contest against Bloomington.
John DeCaro (19-11-1) made 23 saves in regulation and overtime and then stopped six of seven Komets in the shootout to earn the win in goal. Andy Contois extended his point streak with two assists on goals from Justin Aikins and Jamie Milam for the âBugs, who built a 2-0 lead before Fort Wayne came back to tie.
The Mudbugs opened the scoring during an early powerplay when Andy Contois made a nice play at center to find Steven Crampton, who then fed a back-door pass that was fired into the net by Justin Aikins to put the âBugs on top. Bossier-Shreveport outshot Fort Wayne 10-9 in the first and took that 1-0 edge into the second.
Jamie Milam extended the lead to 2-0 just 2:27 into the middle frame, one-timing Contois' faceoff win into the top corner of Nick Boucher's net to give Bossier-Shreveport the two-goal edge. Michael Ratchuk countered later in the period with a powerplay goal for Fort Wayne to leave the score at 2-1 after 40 minutes.
On another Komets powerplay midway through the third, P.C. Drouin fired a long point shot into the net past a screened DeCaro to knot the game at two. Both goaltenders were tested elsewhere in the third, into overtime and finally into the shootout.
DeCaro and Fort Wayne goaltender Nick Boucher kept the shootout scoreless for six full rounds before Matthew Curadeau scored to put the Komets on top. Needing a goal to keep the Mudbugs alive, Aikins beat Boucher through the five-hole to force an eighth round. DeCaro then stopped Danny Lapointe to set up Steven Crampton, who netted the game-winner to give the âBugs their first-ever win against the Komets.
Nick Boucher (16-14-5) made 30 saves in the contest and six more in the shootout as Bossier-Shreveport outshot Fort Wayne 33-25. The Mudbugs went 1 for 7 on the powerplay, while the Komets were 2 for 5.
The Mudbugs will now travel west to Bloomington, Illinois to conclude their four-game road swing Saturday night against the PrairieThunder in their first-ever visit to U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Saturday's opening faceoff is set for 7:05 pm with radio coverage starting at 6:45 on News Radio 710 AM KEEL. The game will also be shown live online on CHL-TV.
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