SHREVEPORT, LA – The Wichita Falls Warriors (3-1) fall short in another late third period
rally as the Shreveport Mudbugs (4-1) take game win in a 4-3 victory.
In the first period the Warriors would get a power play late in the period as they would not
capitalize on the man advantage but just moments later Ryan Robinson (1) would open the
scoring as the Warriors would grab a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later Connor Gatto (1) would tie
the game up at 1-1 as he was diving across the crease and just was able to get the puck past
Owen Bartoszkiewicz. After 20 minutes of play we were all tied up in Shreveport.
The second period would be one that the Warriors would want back. Three total penalties in the
second period as only one team would be able to find the back of the net. Austin Brimmer (1)
would tally his first of the postseason and give the Mudbugs their first lead of the game as it was
now 2-1 Mudbugs. Not even two minutes later Billy Feczko (2) would make it a 3-1 Mudbugs
lead. The Warriors now down two goals hadn’t had much offense in the middle period. Five
minutes later on the power play Giovanni Procopio (2) would make it a 4-1 Mudbugs lead. This
would be the first Mudbugs power play goal of the playoffs as well as the first power play goal
given up by the Warriors in the playoffs. After a 3 goal period for the Mudbugs, after 40 minutes
it would be a 4-1 Mudbugs lead.
As the third period began, the Warriors started to build momentum as they had a power play to
start the period, but would not be able to capitalize. About half way through the period, the
Warriors had scored a goal that was called off in a call that could have later stopped the game
from going to overtime. It was a shot on net that had gone through the pads of Cole Hudson but
called a no goal on the ice. The comeback would fall a little short as Drake Usher (1) would
score unassisted with less than three minutes to go as it was now 4-2 Mudbugs. With under a
minute left to go in the third period, Drew Vieten (4) would make it a one goal game as it was
now 4-3. The Warriors would have one more opportunity but couldn’t get the puck to go with
less than ten seconds to go. As the final horn would sound, the Mudbugs would take game one of
the South Division Finals by a score of 4-3.
Owen Bartoszkiewicz (3-1) would get the loss as he made 28 saves on 32 shots. Cole Hudson
would get the win (4-0) as he would get the win and make 32 saves on 35 shots.
