Mudbugs enjoy strong start to new season

BOSSIER CITY, La. – The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs moved into first place in the Berry Conference with a 3-0 record after taking out the Tulsa Oilers in a 6-4 contest on Tuesday night. This follows a successful home and away opening weekend series during which the ‘bugs defeated the Mississippi RiverKings twice – winning 10-1 on Friday night and 2-1 on Saturday. 
Rookie goaltender Jeff Harvey earned all three wins stopping 79 of 85 shots faced.   He currently leads all CHL goalies in wins (3) and minutes played (179:32) with a 2.01 GAA and a .929 save percentage.    

Veteran center Brett Smith, now in his sixth season with the Mudbugs, currently leads the league in scoring with nine points (5 G, 4 A, +5).
During the season opener, Smith had the best single-game performance in franchise history. A first-period power play goal was followed by short-handed tallies in each of the final two periods to give Smith his sixth career hat. On top of that, the Guelph, Ontario native assisted on four other goals to tie the team record for assists in a game and broke the previous Mudbugs record with a seven-point night.
On Monday, the Central Hockey League named Smith the Oakley/CHL Player of the Week for his eight points (4 G, 4 A) in two games and seven points (3 G, 4 A) in the Mudbugs’ opening night win.
In addition to Smith, Mudbugs head coach Scott Muscutt has brought back nine of the team’s top 10 scorers from last season, including Shawn Limpright, Joe Blaznek, Travis Clayton, Jeff Kyrzakos and Simon Mangos. Limpright led the team in points with 53 (18 G, 35 A, +5) and Blaznek was the team’s leading goal scorer with 23 and second in points with 50.  Kyrzakos was a close second in goals with 22. While long-time Mudbug goalie Ken Carroll has retired, veteran John DeCaro, a two-time CHL Goalie of the Year (2007, 2008) re-signed, but has started the year on injured reserve. As a result, the team is counting on their two rookies, Jeff Harvey and Brian Foster, to defend their net. Foster was recently assigned to Bossier-Shreveport by the Florida Panthers (NHL) and the Rochester Americans (AHL). “The Harvey kid has Kenny Carroll-type numbers,” Muscutt recently told nwlanews.com. “It’s hard to put that kind of pressure on a kid, but if he can carry any part of the flame Kenny Carroll did he’ll put up some numbers. Foster, I think he’s going to help us win some hockey games. He’s very quick and he’s high on the Florida Panthers prospect list so we’re excited about him as well.”
 
Muscutt is happy with the mix of veterans and newcomers on this year’s squad. “The guys we have coming back are strong, competitive hockey players with good character who will represent the club on the ice and in the community,” he said. “It’s similar to what we’ve done in recruiting. We’ve got some solid character kids who are going to fit in real well.” The Mudbugs finished third in the Northern Conference last season with a 38-22-4 record, advancing to the post-season where they were eliminated in the seventh game of the Conference Finals by the eventual league champions, the Rapid City Rush. Muscutt believes his players have the potential to earn a spot in the finals this season, but not without a lot of hard work and consistency during the long regular season. “I think we’re going to have to go out and show it, I’m going to have to go out and coach it, and we’re going to have to go out and gel. That’s the reason you play 64 hockey games.” The Mudbugs are preparing for a tough, three-game set this weekend. They’ll host the Southern Conference Champion Allen Americans on Thursday and Friday and then travel to the NYTEX Sports Center to face longtime-rivals, the Texas Brahmas on Saturday. Contact the author/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com