TULSA, Okla. – In what has turned out to be a wild, unpredictable series, one could have expected the crazy finish of game four of the Berry Conference Semifinal Friday night in front of a rowdy crowd of 5,009 at the BOK Center. 
It took 67-minutes and 27-seconds to determine the winner, and the fate of the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs’ season. Down 2-1 in the best-of-five series, the Mudbugs got a huge goal from Andy Contois in overtime to send the series to a decisive game five. On a three-on-two break, Contois took a feed from Steven Crampton and skated in on Tulsa goalie Ian Keserich from the left circle, deking right and placing the puck into the left side of the net for the game-winner at 7:27 of the extra period. That capped off yet another wild game between the two teams – this one saw Tulsa get on the board first, lose the lead in the third and tie it up with less than seven minutes remaining in the third period. Bossier-Shreveport held a slight shot advantage, out-shooting Tulsa 32-31 while Mudbugs goalie John DeCaro improved to 4-1 on the postseason. Tulsa connected on one of seven power play chances, while they managed to deny three man-advantages for Bossier-Shreveport. Bates Battaglia got Tulsa on the board first with a goal from Costello and Eastman at 12:15 of the first period. Moving through the slot, closing in on goal, Battaglia poked a rebound of his own shot between the legs of DeCaro on the power play for a 1-0 lead.
The Oilers were 1-for-2 on the man advantage in the opening period. Bossier-Shreveport had a golden opportunity to even the score late in the opening frame. During a four-on-four situation, Justin Aikins took the puck around the Tulsa net and attempted to squeeze it in to the left of Keserich only to hit the pipe. Things finally started clicking for the Mudbugs in the second period. Jim Jorgensen knotted things up at 11:32, releasing a shot from the left slot that beat Keserich to the top of the net. David Rutherford was credited with the assist on the game-tying goal. Tulsa was awarded three power plays in the second period but failed to convert the chances to goals. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, though. Tulsa displayed great puck control, keeping the puck in the offensive zone for most of their first chance with Costello narrowly missing a shot from the right circle that grazed the post. Keserich prevented a shorthanded opportunity later in the period, diving to his left to glove the puck at 15:28. Bossier-Shreveport took their first lead of the night at 5:08 of the third on a goal by Jeff Kyrzakos. Shawn Limpright capitalized on a Tulsa turnover in the Mudbugs zone and sent a pass to Kyrzakos who then found the net from the left circle. It marked the first time the ‘Bugs had held a lead in over five periods of play in the series. The Mudbugs would hold the lead for over eight minutes before the Oilers struck again. With 6:20 remaining in the third, Costello rounded the net and found Michel Beausoleil in front of DeCaro. Beausoleil then sent the puck into the net to tie it 2-2. The goal came at the end of an extended possession during which the Oilers had several close chances. Tulsa nearly re-took the lead late in the third period. With Kyrzakos and Limpright both in the box, the Oilers had a five-on-three advantage for 39-seconds with less than three minutes remaining. Costello sent a pass across the ice from the right circle to a wide open Jack Combs at the bottom of the left circle. With DeCaro out of position to his left, Combs could not gain full possession of the puck and was unable to put the shot on net. At 7:27 into overtime Contois hit pay dirt, scoring to shift the series back to Bossier City this evening.
Opening face-off for game five at the CenturyTel Center is set for 7:05 p.m. The winner of game five will move on to face the Allen Americans in the best-of-seven Berry Conference Final. Contact the writer at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
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