The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs have advanced to their fifth ever championship finals series, following a 2-1 home victory Monday night over the defending champion Colorado Eagles in Game 5 of the Northern Conference Finals. The formula of exceptional defensive play, quality goaltending an opportunistic scoring that has served the Mudbugs so well throughout the post-season continued Monday as Bossier-Shreveport improved their perfect home ice mark to 6-0. The Eagles hopes of repeating were dashed by a Bossier-Shreveport work ethic that refused to allow many quality chances, frustrating Colorados high powered attack thoroughly during the series. Bossier-Shreveports win allows them a few days of recovery time and rest prior to Fridays Game 1 of the Ray Miron Presidents Cup Finals in Laredo.
The Mudbugs victory also sets up a rematch of the 2003-2004 Ray Miron Presidents Cup Finals, taking on the Laredo Bucks beginning this Friday and Saturday at the Laredo Entertainment Center. The clubs battled in perhaps the best CHL finals in history that series, with the Bucks surviving in overtime of game seven, winning on a still-controversial goal by former defenseman Dion Hyman.
2005-2006 Ray Miron Presidents Cup Finals
Laredo Bucks (1) vs. Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (2)
Finals Schedule
Game 1, Fri, 4-28, Bossier-Shreveport @ Laredo, 7:30 PM
Game 2, Sat, 4-29, Bossier-Shreveport @ Laredo, 7:30 PM
Game 3, Tue, 5-02, Laredo @ Bossier-Shreveport, 7:05 PM
Game 4, Fri, 5-05, Laredo @ Bossier-Shreveport, 7:05 PM
Game 5*, Sat, 5-06, Laredo @ Bossier-Shreveport, 7:05 PM
Game 6*, Tue, 5-09, Bossier-Shreveport @ Laredo, 7:05 PM
Game 7*, Thu, 5-11, Bossier-Shreveport @ Laredo, 7:05 PM
*If Necessary
Live CHL Playoff Scoreboard
CHL Playoff Bracket
The CHL Playoffs on CHLTV.com
The Mudbugs Game 5 win was strikingly similar to Game 4, with the Mudbugs again jumping out to a 2-0 lead before allowing a third period goal by the Eagles. Monday it was defenseman Dale Lupul who opened the scoring, taking a cross ice feed from Scott Sheppard and beating Colorado netminder Paulo Colaiacovo with a high wrist shot on the power play 5:38 into the contest. Sheppard would score the eventual winner himself in the second frame, with Brett Smith and Quade Lightbody assisting 8:07 in. A third period deflection by Nick Parillo 7:43 into the final period brought the Eagles to within a goal, and despite several late chances and draws in the Mudbugs end, goaltender David Cacciola and the defense held firm, dethroning the defending champions.