Mudbugs Fall Hard Against Killer Bees
January 10, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release
HIDALGO, TX - Christian Boucher made 41 saves as the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees soundly defeated the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs 7-1 on Saturday night at the Dodge Arena. The loss snaps Bossier-Shreveport's three game winning streak and marks the first time they've surrendered seven goals in a game since giving up eight on March 10, 2006 against Youngstown.
Travis Clayton scored his 12th goal of the season early in the contest, but that's all the offense the 'Bugs would get as Boucher shut the door the rest of the way. The Killer Bees finished the night with 15 powerplay opportunities, including six 5-on-3 powerplay chances, but converted only two of them as the Mudbugs penalty killers killed off the other 13 man-advantages. The 'Bugs were 1 for 5 on the powerplay.
The Mudbugs got out of the gates quick with a powerplay goal just 33 seconds into the game. Travis Clayton won an offensive zone faceoff and then went to the front of the net, where he poked the rebound of a Dale Lupul shot through the legs of goaltender Christian Boucher give Bossier-Shreveport the early lead. Later in the period, Rio Grande Valley tied it up when Evan Rankin held a puck at the point and found Daryl Moore open in front to make it 1-1 at the 9:12 mark. Less than three minutes later, Aaron Lee's long shot beat Jon Horrell high on the glove side to put Rio Grande Valley on top 2-1 after one period of play.
Both goaltenders were strong to start the second period, especially Christian Boucher, who made a few outstanding saves to prevent the Mudbugs from tying the game up. Rio Grande Valley then got the offense going even more as the second period went along. Brian Bicek scored a shorthanded goal on a rebound in front of Horrell to make it 3-1 at 9:51 of the period. Nicolas Dumoulin then scored on a wrister from the point and Jesse Bennefield put home a rebound during a 5-on-3 powerplay to put the Killer Bees up 5-1 after 40 minutes.
Jesse Perrin and Nathan Ansell scored in the third period to finish off the Mudbugs' second six-goal defeat of the season and win it 7-1.
Jon Horrell stopped 38 of 45 shots in his first regulation loss of the season, while Boucher's 41 saves gave him his sixth win of the year. Rio Grande Valley finished with a 45-42 edge in shots.
Following their second straight week of playing four games in five days, the Mudbugs will now have five days off before heading to Tulsa to continue a six-game road trip at the BOK Center. After taking on the Oilers Friday, the 'Bugs will head to Oklahoma City for their first meeting of the season with the Blazers on Saturday night.
Before the Mudbugs are back on the ice for those two games, center Travis Clayton will take part in the 2009 CHL All-Star game in Loveland, Colorado on Wednesday night. Starting at 8:05 pm Central time, this year's All-Star Game features a brand new format, with a team of CHL All-Stars taking on the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center.
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