Allen drops home opener to ‘Bugs

ALLEN, Texas – The Allen Americans, for the second straight series, dropped their home opener, falling to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in Game One of the best-of-seven Berry Conference Finals F riday night in front of 4,268 fans at the Allen Event Center.
 
The game started on a positive note for Allen when Dave Bonk opened the scoring at 3:32, completely undressing John DeCaro. Bonk carried the puck in through the left circle and made a beautiful deke, causing DeCaro to over commit to his left, allowing Bonk to deposit the net into the half open net.
 
Instead of picking up the tempo, the Americans played at a tepid pace, reminiscent of Game One of the Odessa series. It appears that the Americans have difficulty adjusting to long layoffs, causing them to take some time to warm up to their normally strong competitive level.
 
Neither team took the drivers seat, seemingly content with the middling pace and lack of offense for both teams until the ‘Bugs gained a huge boost of confidence, netting two goals in rapid succession on back-to-back power plays.
 
The ‘Bugs evened the score exactly seven minutes after the Americans goal when Simon Mangos drilled a shot from the point through traffic and past Allen net minder Chris Whitley at the 10:32 mark.
 

Unsatisfied with just one power play goal, the ‘Bugs made good use of their second man-advantage in as many minutes when Justin Aikins popped the puck past Whitley at 12:56, stunning the Allen crowd into silence as Bossier took a 2-1 lead.
 
The Mudbugs gained momentum from the two power play goals against a weak Allen penalty kill. Even weaker was the Americans power play, which only managed three shots on net over the course of three advantages in the period.
 
During the middle frame, both teams appeared evenly matched at the start but the Americans continued to slide backwards against the growing ‘Bugs momentum. Bossier continually shut the Americans down in the neutral zone, trapping them and then further frustrating their breakout with a persistent lone forechecker.
 
Allen looked frazzled and flatter than a Chicago thin crust pizza, moving the puck laterally in their zone rather than advancing it up the sideboards quickly and out of their end.
 
The ‘Bugs dominated the play in all areas of the ice. Despite this, the Americans were still able to register nine shots on net through the second period, none of them particularly challenging stops for DeCaro.
 
An important and controversial goal occurred at the 9:46 mark, when Whitley was taken to the ice by a ‘Bugs player in plain view of the official who deigned not to call an apparent goaltender interference. David Pszenyczny fired the loose puck into an open net as a prone Whitley lay unable to defend his goal.
 
Despite the protests of the Allen players, repeated replays on the arena screen and the chorus of heavy boo’s from the Allen fans, the goal stood. This would prove to be a crucial non-call, as the game ended with a one goal differential.
 
Bossier continued to dominate the period and the tepid American play became ice cold, especially on the man advantage where the two remaining Americans power plays generated a feeble lone shot on net.
 
With only two seconds left in the period, Shawn Limpright fired a shot on net and beat Whitley to the short side, past the glove from about 30 feet out, without benefit of a screen. What should have been a routine save that ended the period, instead gave Bossier a confidence-building three goal lead at 4-1 and sent a downtrodden Americans club off the ice.
 
In the third period, the Americans finally showed a steady heartbeat, thanks to a wide-awake penalty kill that was able to create one of Allen’s better offensive chances in the game to that point, short-handed.
 
The momentum shift had begun and would finally get a bump when Judd Blackwater scored his 7th goal of the post-season on a beautiful play crafted by line mate Colton Yellow Horn.
 
Yellow Horn streaked through the right circle, cut around the defenseman and fed a crisp backhand pass to a streaking Blackwater, who one timed it past DeCaro to cut the lead to 4-2 at 6:55.
 
The Mudbugs weren’t done with their scoring just yet however and threw yet another obstacle at the Americans when Limpright potted his second of the night, short-handed, to boost the ‘Bugs back to a three goal lead at 5-2.
 
With just over seven and a half minutes to play in the game and still on the power play, the Americans began a sustained offensive drive and the ‘Bugs did everything they could to hold on as they faced a massive Allen assault.
 
The Americans dominated the remaining minutes, blanking Bossier from any more shots on net, garnering nine of their own and notching two big power play goals in the process.
 
First to score was Yellow Horn, who answered Limpright’s short handed goal with one of his own on a nice wrister from the right circle at 12:58, bringing the Americans back within two goals with the score now 5-3.
 
Yellow Horn would then give the Americans the chance to tie the game when he was forced to leave the ice for medical attention, taking yet another stick to the mouth in the playoff run, with 4:28 left in regulation. Justin Aikins was assessed a double minor for high sticking, giving the Americans the chance to score twice with the man-advantage.
 
David Strathman fired a shot from the point that DeCaro was forced to play high, giving up a big rebound that fell to the stick of Jarret Lukin who immediately buried the shot to bring the Americans to within one goal with 2:30 left on the clock and a full two-minute power play still at their disposal.
The Americans pulled Whitley for the extra attacker with 1:10 remaining. Despite the two man advantage, the Americans power play was limited to one final shot on net as the ‘Bugs clamped down the slot and denied the Americans the chance to tie.
 
The teams meet again for Game Two on Sunday Night at 6:00 pm CST at the Allen Events Center.
 
Contact the writer at maurice.fitzgerald@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at chip.crail@prohockeynews.com