Bucks in command after two games

ODESSA, Texas – For the second consecutive evening the Odessa Jackalopes out-shot the Laredo Bucks by a lopsided 38-23. For Laredo, it didn’t matter. Less than two minutes into the first period it began when Bucks forward Shawn Snider shocked  the Odessa squad with a shorthanded goal. Snider took a pass from Alex Goupil on a two-on-one break and scored off of a snap shot from the left hash mark. The goal was Snider’s first of the postseason. Enter Rookie of the Year, and the player who must be the series to date MVP, Darryl Smith. Smith had what would be the game-winning goal at 15:29 of the first period, and then added an exclamation point scoring on the powerplay at 19:33. As the favored Jackalopes headed for the first intermission, they found themselves down by three scores and once again facing a desperate situation. A determined Odessa squad emerged for the second period as both teams remained scoreless at period’s end. The Jackalopes were unable to find the net even in two-man advantage opportunities. Their failure is shown as Odessa’s powerplay stands at 0-13 in the two playoff games to date. If any confidence was built up during the second period for Odessa, Laredo’s Ryan Silvas put it to rest early on in the third period on a pass from Bobby Russell. Russell sprang Silvas on a two-on-one20break and Silvas hammered home a shot from the left circle to give the Bucks a 4-0 lead in the third. Andrew Martin had a huge game in net for the Bucks, turning away 37 of 38 Odessa shots to pick up the win. His shutout win was spoiled by Dominic Leveille who finally put Odessa on the board with a rebound goal 12:46 into the third period to cut the Bucks lead to 4-1. Odessa saw four more powerplay opportunities go unsuccessful before Russell sealed Odessa’s fate with an empty-netter at 18:57 of the final stanza. The two will faceoff again in Laredo, Wednesday night at 7:00 PM (CST) rushe.hudson@prohockeynews.com