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Mudbugs Weekly

October 11, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release


LAST WEEK

Exhibition Game #1

Saturday, October 9 at Mississippi DeSoto Civic Center L 3-2 (SO)

GAME NOTES: Mississippi outscored the Mudbugs 2-1 in the shootout to finish off a 3-2 victory as the teams opened the preseason Saturday night at the DCC. David Rutherford scored once in regulation and again in the shootout and Jeff Harvey made 33 saves for the 'Bugs in defeat. Bossier-Shreveport allowed only one powerplay goal in ten Mississippi man-advantages while finishing 0 for 2 on their own powerplay. Shane Hart scored the other goal for Bossier-Shreveport.

Exhibition Game #2

Sunday, October 10 at Mississippi DeSoto Civic Center W 2-0

GAME NOTES: Two different goal scorers and 15 saves from rookie goaltender Brian Foster helped Bossier-Shreveport finish its exhibition schedule with a 2-0 victory over Mississippi Sunday afternoon at the DCC. Shane Hart and Travis Clayton scored the goals for Bossier-Shreveport, who finished with 36 shots while surrendering just 15 to Mississippi. Foster stopped all 15 shots he saw to earn the shutout in his first action since joining the team prior to Saturday's exhibition game.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday, October 12 Season Ticket Holder Party

Roster Announcement @ Landers Dodge 6:30 pm

Ticket Pick-Up/Games @ Party Central 7:00-9:00 pm

EVENT NOTES: The Mudbugs are holding our 2010-11 season ticket holder party this Tuesday night at Landers Dodge and Party Central Family Fun Center in Bossier City. The event will start at Landers Dodge from 5:00 to 7:00 pm with food and the first announcement of our regular season roster at approximately 6:30. Then we will travel to Party Central, where dessert will be served and games will be set up to play with the players as season tickets are passed out prior to Friday's season opener.

Friday, October 15 vs. Mississippi CenturyTel Center 7:05 pm

GAME NOTES: The Mudbugs will drop the puck on their 14th season in the Ark-La-Tex Friday night against the rival Mississippi RiverKings at the CenturyTel Center. It will be the third time in the past six years the two teams have opened the season against one another. The 'Bugs won seven of the ten games in last year's season series and hold a 14-7-1 record in the last 22 meetings with their longtime rivals from neighboring Mississippi. Bossier-Shreveport is 6-3-1 all-time in home openers at the CenturyTel Center.

Saturday, October 16 at Mississippi DeSoto Civic Center 7:05 pm

GAME NOTES: The Mudbugs will finish off a season opening home-and-home series with the RiverKings Saturday night in Southaven, Mississippi for their second game of the season. Bossier-Shreveport has won its first game at the DeSoto Civic Center in each of the past two seasons, prevailing 2-1 last year on Halloween and winning 6-2 the prior season on October 21. The 'Kings did defeat the 'Bugs 2-1 in the 2007-08 season opener at the DCC.

WEEKLY NOTES

The Annual Preseason Split After concluding a two-game preseason slate vs. Mississippi over the weekend, the Mudbugs have now finished with identical preseason results for the past three seasons. Bossier-Shreveport has now lost its preseason opener to the RiverKings only to beat them in their second exhibition contest the following day in three consecutive seasons. The 'Bugs have not gone winless in the preseason since 2007, when they lost their only exhibition game 4-3 at Odessa.

Making the Cut With both preseason games now in the rearview mirror, the next task at hand falls to Mudbugs Head Coach Scott Muscutt. Muscutt will spend the next few days mulling over his training camp roster to decide which 19 of the 24 players in training camp have proven themselves worthy of a spot on the team's season opening roster when Friday rolls around. Although the roster isn't due to the Central Hockey League office until Thursday afternoon, the 'Bugs will be making their official regular season roster announcement Tuesday evening at Landers Dodge in Bossier City during our season ticket holder party. Bossier-Shreveport currently has 13 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders in camp.

'Bugs Get NHL-Contracted Goalie The Mudbugs were assigned an NHL-contracted player for the third time in the past two seasons over the weekend when the Florida Panthers sent rookie goaltender Brian Foster to Bossier-Shreveport. Foster, 23, joined the team in Mississippi on Saturday and promptly earned a shutout in his first action with the 'Bugs in Sunday's 2-0 preseason win. The 6-2, 180-pound Pembroke, New Hampshire native served as the starting goaltender for the UNH Wildcats in both of the past two seasons, compiling a 36-25-11 record in that time. He also finished his college career with a 2.82 GAA, .910 SV% and five shutouts.

Season Opener History With the start of their 14th season approaching on Friday night, the Mudbugs will be looking to improve upon a 7-6-0 all-time record in season openers. Bossier-Shreveport has lost three of its last four season-opening games since winning four straight from 2002 to 2005. The 'Bugs hold a similar 7-5-1 all-time record in home openers over their first 13 seasons, including a 6-3-1 mark since moving to the CenturyTel Center in 2000.

New Conference, Same Opponents (Mostly) With five teams from the former International Hockey League joining the CHL this year, the league's realignment led to the Mudbugs, Mississippi RiverKings and Tulsa Oilers shifting conferences to the former Southern Conference (now known as the Berry Conference). Although they are competing in a different conference this year, the 'Bugs will still play the majority of their games against geographical rivals like the Texas Brahmas (11 head-to-head meetings), Allen Americans (10 meetings), and Mississippi RiverKings (9 meetings). Bossier-Shreveport will also host four of the five new teams at the CenturyTel Center this season, with the Bloomington PrarieThunder, Dayton Gems, Evansville IceMen, and three-time defending IHL Champion Fort Wayne Komets all visiting Bossier City.

Loose Pucks The 'Bugs training camp roster currently includes 13 returning players and 11 newcomers... The Mudbugs return all of their top six scorers from last season and ten of their top 11... All of Bossier-Shreveport's first eight games are against Berry Conference opponents... Four of the Mudbugs' first five games this season are at home... The 'Bugs will play six games in the first nine days of the season...

TICKET INFORMATION: Season tickets, mini-plans and group ticket packages for the 2010-11 season of Mudbugs hockey are available at the team office: 2000 CenturyTel Center Drive, Bossier City, LA 71112. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Individual game tickets can be purchased at the CenturyTel Center box office between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, by calling Ticketmaster at (318) 741-9700, or online at Ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit www.mudbugshockey.com or call the team office at (318) 752-2847.

MUDBUGS RADIO: Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs games, both home and away, are broadcast live on "The Home of the Legends" AM 1130 KWKH and News Radio 710 AM KEEL in Shreveport. Both stations provide free online streaming online at www.kwkhonline.com and www.710keel.com .

Season and group tickets are on sale by calling 318-752-BUGS (2847) or by visiting our website at www.mudbugshockey.com .

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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