Last night the Jacks faced the Shreveport Mudbugs for the seventh time this season. Odessa went into the game leading the season series, 4-1-1. Shreveport entered the game on an eight-game point streak, 7-0-0-1. The game was the first of seven straight for the Jacks against a team currently in a playoff position.
Shreveport came out aggressive to start the first period. The third-place team in the South was throwing everything they had onto Greg Orosz. However, it was the Jacks striking first in game one. The goal was scored by Ryan Mansfield (17) while the Jacks were on their third powerplay of the game. The Jacks did not have the lead for long though, as Shreveport would go on their first powerplay of the games minutes later and convert on it. The goal was scored by Eric Vitale (14) after he redirected a pass from Logan Gotinsky. Shreveport kept its foot on the gas which resulted in them taking the lead after Drake Morse (16) beat Orosz and found twine. The Mudbugs would head into the first intermission leading the Jacks, 2-1, and outshooting them 13-5.
The Jackalopes controlled most of the second period but were unable to get any of their 12 shots past Simon Bucheler. Odessa limited Shreveport o only four registered shots in the middle frame and Orosz denied them all. Resulting in a scoreless period and the Mudbugs still lead 2-1. The shots were tied at 17 through 40 minutes of play.
Odessa had some scoring chances in the final period but none of their six shots could get past Bucheler. Shreveport added one to their total after Jaden Goldie (6) scored at the 10:21 mark of the period. The Jacks pulled Orosz in an attempt to make a comeback but unfortunately, they would fall short by a score of 3-1. Shreveport finished with 31 shots and Odessa had 23. Both teams went 1/6 on the powerplay.
Head Coach Scott Deur had this to say following the loss, “At the end of the day when you only play for 20 minutes a night that is the result you are going to get. We are not mathematically out of a playoff spot and that was my message to them after the game.” Odessa will close out their season series with Shreveport Mudbugs tonight at 7:15 p.m. CDT.
Photo credit: Danne Braden
