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Saturday, February 17, 2001
IceRays defeat ’Bugs
McArthur scores twice in 5-3 win
By Brian Vernellis
The Times
With games against Eastern Division leader Austin tonight and Western Division leader New Mexico Sunday, the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs needed a great start to a tough weekend of hockey.
They didn't get one.
The Corpus Christi IceRays snapped the Mudbugs six-game winning streak, handing the Mudbugs a 5-3 loss on Friday night. Twice this season the Mudbugs have had six-game winning streaks broken in the seventh game.
Lucky No. 7? Hardly.
"We still have a huge weekend ahead of us here," Bossier-Shreveport head coach Scott Muscutt said. "(Tonight's) game against Austin just became all that more important. And so did, Sunday''s game with New Mexico. We've got to make sure we go into (tonight's) game ready to take care of business."
Bossier-Shreveport's Dave Gilmo had two power-play goals, and Corpus Christi's Dustin McArthur had two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist. The fact the Mudbugs scored all three of their goals on the power play brings little solace to Muscutt.
The Mudbugs had to rally from two-goal deficits twice, succeeding the first time, but failing the second time.
The Mudbugs trailed in the game 3-2 midway through the second period when Corpus Christi's starting goaltender, Eddy Skazyk, left the game with a knee injury, taking a shot off the side of his knee. In his place, the IceRays entrusted the lead to Brad Erbsland, playing in only his third professional game.
The Mudbugs quickly tested the young goalie, only a year removed from Division III Plattsburgh St. in New York. He rose to the challenge, allowing only Gilmore's second power-play midway through the third period.
The Mudbugs may have outshot the IceRays, 40-34, in the game, but Corpus Christi stuck to its defensive plan, clearing any rebounds from in front of Skazyk or Erbsland, eliminating second chances.
"Brad played fantastic for us in the third," Corpus Christi head coach Taylor Hall said. "Hopefully, we have our goalies make the first save and then be able to clear bodies out of the way, so they can't get that second one. Especially late in the game, they were getting some shots, and Brad was making the big save. The difference for us was we were very committed to pay a high price defensively, and it paid off for us."
While the IceRays knocked Mudbugs from in front of the goal crease, the Mudbugs couldn't quite match Corpus Christi's physicality in front of Carroll.
In his office, Muscutt summarized the game succinctly.
"We missed our assignments," Muscutt said. "We didn't compete with the same tenacity that we've become accustomed to competing with, especially in the second half. We lacked that little extra zip, that little edge."
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