Bucks Win Wild One Over Bees 6-4

LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League beat the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 6-4 Thursday night at the Laredo Entertainment Center. The Bucks have now won three straight games, and eight of their last nine. Laredo improves their Southeast Division record to 13-5 (26pts), and took a three point lead over the idle Texas Brahmas.

Laredo/RGV Box Score

Laredo trailed 3-2 entering the third period, but scored three goals in the frame to take the victory.  Jeff Bes tied the game at 3-3 just 2:22 into the third period, as he sent a wide open shot from the slot past Wylie Rogers. The strike was Besʼ fifth of the year, to extend his CHL-high point streak to 16 games. Bes (5-28=33) has scored a point in 17 of the Bucks 18 contests this season.

Just 11 seconds later off of the face off Darryl Smith streaked down the left side of the ice and sent a laser slap shot top shelf past Rogers to give the Bucks a 4-3 lead. The goal was Smithʼs second of the game, and team-leading 13th of the season.

Rick Kozak put the Buck up 5-3 with 6:56 left in the game, as he jammed in his own rebound at the left side of the crease. The goal was Kozakʼs 8th of the year.

Rio cut the Bucks (9-3 at home) lead to 5-4 with 2:48 left in the game, as Kurtis Dulle broke past the Laredo defense and sent a shot top shelf past Bees goaltender Wylie Rogers.  With 2:44 left in the game Kozak drew a penalty on Rioʼs Ryan Shmyr, giving Laredo a power-play. They would take advantage as Steve Weidlich buried a slap shot from the high slot with 1:02 left in the game to make it 6-4.

Ryan Gibb won his sixth straight game in net for Laredo, stopping 18 of 22 shots.

The Killer Bees (8-6-2) jumped out in front of the Bucks, as they struck for two power-play goals in the first 5:01 of the contest. Jesse Bennefield hammered in a pass from Brian Bicek right  in front of Ryan Gibb 2:58 into the game. The goal was Bennefieldʼs fifth of the season.  Rio would make it 2-0 5:01 into the game, as Evan Rankin deflected a pass past Gibb at the right side of the circle. Rankin tallied his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Bucks would storm back and score two goals in 21 seconds at the end of the first period.

Laredo would cut the rio lead to 2-1, when Bobby Russell tipped in a pass from Devin Featherstone right in front Rio goaltender Wylie Rogers. The goal was Russellʼs fifth of the season. Featherstone picked up his second helper of the season.

The Bucks would tie the game at 2-2 just 21 seconds later, when Darryl Smith tipped in a loose puck in the crease past Rogers. The goal was Smithʼs team-leading 12th, with Bes picking up the assist.  Laredo was outshot in the first period 13-7.

The Killer Bees re-took the lead half way through the second period at the 9:14 mark. Jay Hardwick deflected a pass off of Gibb and into the back of the net, to score his first goal of the year.  Laredo had several chances to tie the game in the second period, but Rogers came up with some big saves for the Killer Bees, including robbing Alex Goupil on a breakaway with just under one minute left in the period.

The Bucks outshot the Bees 16-4 in the second period.

Laredo has won three straight games against Rio.