Brahmas – Mudbugs Will Wrap Up Season Series

The Lone Star Brahmas will make their final trip of the regular season to Louisiana to face the Shreveport Mudbugs this weekend. In six head-to-head matchups this season the Brahmas hold a 4-1-0-1 advantage not allowing the Mudbugs to score an even strength goal all season.

In all, Shreveport has managed just three goals against the Brahmas. Their first goal came via shootout in the second meeting of the year and the other two coming on the power play in their only regulation win on November 22. Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s games the Brahmas have locked up the season series win.

09/15/17            Brahmas 3 at Mudbugs 0

09/16/17            Brahmas 0 at Mudbugs 1 SO

11/22/17            Mudbugs 2 at Brahmas 1

12/15/17            Mudbugs 0 at Brahmas 3

02/19/18            Mudbugs 0 at Brahmas 2

03/04/18            Mudbugs 0 at Brahmas 2

Lone Star took a pair of games from the visiting Amarillo Bulls last weekend to push their win streak to a season best 10 games. In game one against the Bulls, Aidan Spellacy (12G-15A) opened the scoring at 2:31 of the second. Jon Russell (30G-16A) pushed the lead to two early in the third followed by a Kimball Johnson (5G-7A) power play tally midway through the frame and Johnson’s second of the game into an empty net with just over a minute left to play. Mitchell Gibson (24W-7L-4OTL-4SOL) picked up the shutout win on 17 saves. Game two saw the Brahmas jump out to a two-goal lead early in the third on a first period goal by Russell and then an Austin Bottrell (9G-17A) goal just 1:00 into the third. Amarillo was not going to go easily and scored two of their own in the frame to force overtime. Bottrell got the game winner putting back a Russell rebound at 1:20 of the overtime period. Harrison Feeney (10W-3L-1OTL-0SOL) was in net and faced 30 shots on goal in a winning effort.

Shreveport had the opposite outcome in their home series against the Corpus Christi Icerays. On Friday night the Mudbugs picked up their only point of the weekend. After falling behind by two goals at 2:07 of the first, Cole Quisenberry (18G-15A) and Brendan VanSweden (13G-18A) pulled the Mudbugs even. However, the Icerays would retake the lead before the end of the period. Shreveport went into the third period looking at a two-goal deficit. Quisenberry scored his second of the game followed by VanSweden with his second to force a scoreless overtime. Roberts Baranovskis (9G-17A) had the Mudbugs only goal in the shootout while the Icerays scored twice. Jaxon Castor (9W-4L-0OTL-1SOL) took the loss on 25 saves. On Saturday Shreveport was once again down two going into the third, but on this night, they could only manage a single Jordan Fader (15G-29A) tally and eventually fell 3-1 after allowing an empty net goal. Castor suffered the loss once again making 21 saves.

Last Five Games

Special Teams

The Lone Star power play has found some life lately and sets 9^th overall in the league scoring 46 times on 216 opportunities or 21.3%. On the road they are not quite as successful at 17.7% on 17 goals in 96 opportunities good for 14^th. Over their past five games the Brahmas are 6 of 17 on the power play or 35.9%. On the penalty kill Lone Star is 3^rd overall at 85.3%. They have allowed 31 goals on 211 kills. The road unit also sets 3^rd in the league at 86.5% after allowing 13 goals on 96 kills. They have killed off 15 of 16 opponent power plays in their last five games. Lone Star has been whistled for 63 penalty minutes in their last five games.

The Mudbugs power play comes in holding the 13^th overall spot in the league at 19.1%. Shreveport has scored 41 times on 215 chances. At home, they slip down to 16.2% and 18^th in the NAHL on 18 goals in 111 opportunities. Over their last five games they have managed just 2 goals on 20 power plays or 10/0%. The Mudbugs’ penalty kill sets atop the standings at 86.4% allowing 29 goals on 213 kills. At home they are especially tough at 89.6% allowing only 12 goals on 115 opponent power plays. The past five games have been a bit of a slide for Shreveport allowing 5 goals on 16 kills which comes out to 68.8%. The Mudbugs have more than twice as many penalty minutes over the past five games compared to the Brahmas at 140 minutes.

Head-to-Head the two strong penalty kills have been on point with a total of three power play goals in the six games. Lone Star is just one for 17 or 5.9% while Shreveport is two for 21 on the power play and 9.5%.

Goaltending Comparison Last 5 Games

Who is Hot (Last 5 Games)

Inside the Game

• The Mudbugs and Brahmas are both in the top five in the NAHL. Shreveport is 2^nd at 86 points while Lone Star is tied for 4^th with 77 points.
• The Brahmas are 10-0-0-0 over their last 10 games while the Mudbugs are 6-3-0-1 over the same stretch.
• Jon Russell is tied for 20^th in the league in scoring with 46 points.
• Jon Russell is tied for 2^nd in the league in goals scored with 30. Cameron Cook (21G-19A) is tied for 18^th.
• Dominick Procopio (5G-33A) is tied for 12^th in assists.
• Jon Russell leads the league in power play goals with 15. Steven Ipri (17G-27A) is tied for 13^th with 8.
• Ture Linden (13G-29A) is tied for 6^th with 15 power play assists. Steven Ipri is tied for 11^th with 14.
• Jon Russell is tied for the league lead in game winning goals with 6. Ture Linden and Aidan Spellacy are tied for 3^rd with 5 apiece.
• Frankie Trazzera (3G-6A) is 5^th in the NAHL in penalty minutes with 149.
• Jordan Fader is 3^rd with a +36 rating. Andrew Lane (4G-28A) is 4^th at a +34 and Dominick Procopio is tied for 7^th at a +28. Kyle Hallbauer (7G-24A) is tied for 9^th at +27.
• Mitchell Gibson is leading the league in goals against average with a 1.66 GAA. Gustavs Gringals (17W-4L-2OTL-1SOL) is 6^th with a 1.92 GAA. However, Gringals will not appear in the series due to injury. Jaxon Castor comes in with a 1.49 GAA and Harrison Feeney has a 1.59 GAA. Castor and Feeney have not played the required number of minutes to qualify among league leaders. The Mudbugs have added George McBey (5W-7L-0OTL-1SOL) to the roster as a backup. McBey has put up a 3.51 GAA with the Minnesota Magicians this season.
• Mitchell Gibson also leads the league in save percentage with a 0.932 SV%. Gustavs Gringals is 8^th with a 0.925 SV%. Jaxon Castor has a 0.931 SV% and Harrison Feeney has a 0.924 SV%. George McBey has a 0.901 SV%.
• Mitchell Gibson leads the league with 10 shutout wins. Gustavs Gringals and Jaxon Castor are tied for 8^th with 2 apiece.
• The Mudbugs are averaging 19.95 penalty minutes per game 5^th most in the league compared to the Brahmas at 15.98 penalty minutes per game or 11^th. Both have fewer penalty minutes than their opponents this season.
• Shreveport is 23-4-0-1 at home while Lone Star is 12-7-2-3 on the road.
• The Mudbugs tend to get better as the game goes on with a +22 / +18 / +42 per period goal differential. The Brahmas have a +11 / +29 / +13 differential.
• Shreveport averages 3.30 goals scored per game which is 4^th overall and 1.82 goals against tops in the league. Lone Star has seen their offense marching up the list and are 15^th with a 2.78 goals scored average. Their defense set one spot behind Shreveport with a 1.91 goals against average.
• Both teams are strong finishers. Lone Star is 32-2-3-3 when leading or tied after two periods. Shreveport is 35-2-2-2 under the same circumstances.
• The Brahmas 10 game win streak is the longest current streak in the league and 3^rd longest on the season.

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