'Bugs Dropped in Laredo
 
LAREDO, TX – The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs fell behind 2-0 early in the first period and never could recover in a 4-2 loss to the rival Laredo Bucks Friday night at the Laredo Entertainment Center. The Mudbugs outshot the Bucks 33-30 in the 800th regular season game in franchise history, but went 0 for 6 on the powerplay in the loss.
 
Tyrel Lucas and Joe Blaznek scored the goals for the ‘Bugs, who lost for the second time in a row to dip back below .500 for the year at 7-8-0. John DeCaro lost his second straight decision despite finishing with 26 saves on the night. Jean-Philippe Levasseur stopped 31 shots in a victorious effort for the Bucks.
 
The Bucks jumped out to the early lead in the contest, scoring on their first two shots to go up 2-0 less than four minutes in. Mike Sgroi scored on a breakaway at 2:53 and Adam Rivet followed at 3:43 with a powerplay goal off a deflection in front to give Laredo the early advantage. The Mudbugs battled back in the period and cut the lead to one when Tyrel Lucas corralled a turnover in the Laredo zone and fired a shot into the top corner for his first goal of the season to make it a 2-1 game after the first period.
 
Bossier-Shreveport dictated much of the play in the second period and had three powerplay chances, including 50 seconds worth of 5-on-3 time, but could not draw even in the contest. Despite a 16-5 shot Mudbugs shot advantage, it was the Bucks who would notch the period’s only goal when Eric Giosa stuffed a rebound past John DeCaro to extend the Laredo lead to 3-1 going into the third.
 
It appeared the ‘Bugs were about to draw within one during a third-period powerplay when Mark Johnson skated into the circle and fired a shot past Levasseur, but the puck caromed off the far post and kicked out to Justin Styffe. Styffe raced in on the shorthanded breakaway and beat DeCaro to make it 4-1 Bucks. Joe Blaznek’s goal later in the final frame got the ‘Bugs back within two and extended his goal-scoring streak to three-games, but the comeback would fall short in a 4-2 loss.
 
Bossier-Shreveport was 0 for 6 on the man-advantage, while Laredo finished 1 for 4.
 
The Mudbugs will now return home to host the Missouri Mavericks on Scrubs Night tomorrow at 7:05 pm at the CenturyTel Center. The game will be the first-ever meeting between the Mudbugs and Mavericks, a new CHL expansion team located in Independence, Missouri. Group packages and mini-plans are available through the Mudbugs office at 752-BUGS, while individual tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster at 741-9700.