BOSSIER CITY, La. – What started as an improbable comeback from a 3-0 deficit in a span of three minutes in game one of the CHL Northern Conference Semi-final ended Thursday night with a Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs series sweep over the defending Northern Conference champion Colorado Eagles. 
A CenturyTel Center crowd of 3,888 witnessed the Mudbugs complete their first playoff series sweep since 2001 by way of a 4-2 win, while goalie Ken Carroll led the way stopping 36 of 38 Eagles shots. A three goal first period for the Mudbugs would prove to be a back breaker for the Eagles. Power play goals by Shawn Limpright at 4:18 and Justin Aikins at 11:37 gave Bossier-Shreveport a 2-0 lead before Travis Clayton picked up his third goal in the last two games at 17:52. Carroll stopped 12 Colorado shots, while the ‘Bugs fired 17 shots towards Eagles goalie Andrew Penner in the opening period. Ed McGrane cut the lead to two at :50 of the second with a power play goal. Tyrel Lucas redirected a shot from Jim Jorgenson at 10:51 of the middle frame to re-establish a three-goal Mudbugs lead. Colorado’s only other goal would come late in the final period from Ryan Tobler on a six-on-four chance. With Bossier-Shreveport’s James DeLory serving a minor for hooking and Penner pulled for the extra attacker, Tobler beat Carroll at 18:55 of the third on the backhand to once again close the gap within two goals. A tripping penalty assessed to the Mudbugs’ Jeff Kyrzakos at 19:26 provided one last glimmer of hope for the Eagles, however they were not able to capitalize. Carroll closed out the series with solid play in net during the third, stopping 14 of 15 Colorado shots. This series marks the second time in the last three seasons that the Colorado Eagles have been swept in the playoffs. In 2008 the Arizona Sundogs won all four games to defeat the Eagles and claim their first Ray Miron President’s Cup. Last season they lost the championship series 4-1 to the Texas Brahmas after sweeping the Mudbugs 4-0 in the Northern Conference quarter-finals. The Mudbugs now await the outcome of the other Northern Conference Semi-final between the Rapid City Rush and the Missouri Mavericks. The Rush hold a 3-0 series lead with game four slated for Friday night at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Arena.
Contact the author at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
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