 |
| Power
Play |
18.5%
- 4th |
| Penalty
Killing |
84.5%
- 5th |
| FORWARDS |
| JORDAN
CAMERON |
30-34-64
(+4) |
| BLAIR
MANNING |
11-52-63
(-2) |
| ANDERS
STROME |
34-26-60
(+2) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| JUSTIN
KINNUNEN |
11-32-43
(+16) |
| KEVIN
McLEOD |
12-22-34
(-1) |
| CRAIG
MINARD |
2-21-23
(-2) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| DAVID
CACCIOLA |
26-15-1
(2 SO)
2.94 GA
.909 PCT |
|
| BRETT
JAEGER |
13-6-1
(0 SO)
2.52 GA
.921 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Texas
vs Bossier-Shreveport |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
MAR.
30 |
TEXAS
3 - B. SHREVEPORT
1 |
SEED
5 |
2 |
MAR.
31 |
TEXAS
4 - B. SHREVEPORT
3 |
SEED
1 |
40-22-2
(82) |
3 |
APR.
4 |
B.
SHREVEPORT 2 - TEXAS 3 |
44-14-6
(94) |
| |
4 |
APR.
5 |
B.
SHREVEPORT 3 - TEXAS 5 |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
6 |
TEXAS
at B. SHREVEPORT |
|
| |
6 |
APR.
8 |
B.
SHREVEPORT at TEXAS |
|
| |
7 |
APR.
9 |
TEXAS
at B. SHREVEPORT |
|
| Texas
Wins Series 4-0 |
| SERIES
PREVIEW |
| |
North
Richland Hills, TX - The Texas Brahmas
(40-22-2) and Shreveport Mudbugs (44-14-6) met 11 times
during the CHL regular season schedule. Six of those meetings
were in Shreveport with five in Texas but it was the Brahmas
that walked away with the season advantage earning six
wins overall.
As for the number of victories in Shreveport, the Brahmas
and Mudbugs split with three wins each. Of the five meetings
between the two on the Brahmas’ home ice, Texas earned
three victories with Shreveport skating away with two.
During the regular season, both teams respectfully earned
references for being hot teams. Once Shreveport gelled
after dropping their first six games, the Mudbugs eventually
earned 28 wins in 31 games including a 15-game winning
streak.
Mid-season, the Brahmas were in the cellar but with several
transaction were able to turn things around eventually
winning 23 of 27 games.
The Governor’s Cup Champion Shreveport Mudbugs who earned
94 points during the regular season last saw on-ice action
on March 22 when they hosted the Rocky Mountain Rage closing
out their impressive regular season with a 2-1 win. The
Mudbugs did not have to face an opponent in Round 1 of
post-season play which allowed Shreveport seven days of
well-earned rest before the commencement of the quarter
finals.
The Brahmas who closed out their regular season with a
loss on the same day to the Austin Ice Bats only earned
two days off after winning their best-of-three series
against the Mississippi RiverKings in Round 1.
Now the two Interstate-20 rivals will meet once again
for a seven game series in the Northern Conference Semi-Finals
set to begin on Sunday. Shreveport will have home advantage.
The first two games will be in Shreveport with game two
slated for Monday. With a three-day break, the series
will then move to the Brahmas’ barn for Games Three and
Four starting on Friday and then Saturday. If needed,
the series will move back to Shreveport on April 6, then
Texas on April 8 and then back to Shreveport on April
9 for Game Seven.
The Northern Conference Semi-Finals has the potential
to become one of those talked about series in the future
barring any unexpected meltdowns. The series is a must
watch.
Goaltending
The goaltending for both Texas and Shreveport is strong
going into the series. Brahmas net minder Brett Jaeger
who joined Texas on New Years Eve day saw action in all
three games in Round 1 earning two wins. In game two,
Jaeger earned the Brahmas second post-season shut-out
in the team’s history when he blanked the Riverkings 3-0.
Jaeger goes into battle with the Mudbugs posting a 1.15
GAA and a .963 Save Percentage for the post-season.
Texas’ other goalie, David Cacciola (26-15-1) posted solid
numbers during the regular season with a 2.94 GAA and
9.09 Save Percentage.
During the regular season, both goalies earned Oakley
CHL Goaltender of the Week honors.
The most likely starter in net for Shreveport will be
John DeCaro who was recently named 2007-2008 CHL Most
Outstanding Goaltender for the second year in a row after
being honored as the league’s top goalie during his rookie
season last year. DeCaro who was 27-6-3 in the regular
season posted a 1.63 GAA and .941 Save Percentage for
38 games played.
Defense
In defense, the Brahmas have received consistent performances
from Justin Kinnunen, Kevin McLeod and Craig Minard. Kinnunen
leads the defensemen point wise with 11-32-43 with a team
high plus-16 and is one of only two defensemen who saw
action in all 64 games. His counterpart, McLeod who also
saw action in each game posted 12-22-34 with a minus-1.
Minard who saw action in 41 games only netted two goals
but earned 23 assists dips down to minus-2.
Shreveport’s defense is on par with Texas point wise.
Their producers Ryan Fairbarn, Dale Lupul and Jason Basile
didn’t see action in all 64 games but Fairbarn did see
action in 63 games points posting 7-26-33 with a plus-25
where as Lupul who put up 5-22-27 earned a team high plus-35
during the regular season. Basile who saw action in just
a little over half of the regular season posted 4-13-17
and a plus-17.
Offense
For both teams, there’s not one stand-out sniper that
has a dominant point total over the opposing team. The
scoring totals are fairly even for the 64 game regular
season schedule.
During Texas’ regular season, the leading scorer falls
under Jordan Cameron with 30-34-64 in 57 games played
followed by Blair 11-52-63 in 64 games played. Another
offensive full season gamer would be Anders Strome at
34-26-60. The performances of these individuals have been
consistent and will need to continue during the quarter
finals.
Shreveport’s top scorer Chris Brassard taps in at 29-36-65
for 64 games played averaging in just a tad over one point
per game. Brassard is followed by Daniel Pegoraro at 13-49-62
for the entire season as well. Rounding out Shreveport’s
three leading scorers who all reside in the 60 point plus
range is Brett Smith at 22-38-60 for 57 games played.
One noticeable difference between the two teams, the leading
scorers for Shreveport posted +/- numbers of plus-19 through
plus-22 where as the Brahmas scorers squeaked out a minus-2
through plus-4.
Intangibles
Shreveport has the advantage in net with DeCaro but both
Jaeger and Cacciola have proven their abilities during
the regular season and Jaeger in post-season.
Both teams don’t have high scorers but what Shreveport
does have is a high plus / minus rating of plus-337 for
the team whereas the Brahmas have a minus-8 with the Mudbugs
defensemen having clear domination in the plus / minus
rating when put side by side with Brahmas defensemen.
These numbers could be the edge a team needs to move on
in the post-season.
Scoring is fairly even between the two teams across the
board. With that information, the series shouldn’t have
blow-outs and scoring routs but if one occurs, then that
may become a mental advantage.
As mentioned, Shreveport has the home-ice advantage but
Texas proved during the regular season they can walk away
with a victory.
Author’s Prediction: Shreveport in six games.
Contact the author at brian.mclean@prohockeynews.com
|
|
|
Game
1 |
Texas
3 - B.Shreveport 1 |
| by
Brian McLean - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Texas
Leads Series 1-0 |
Bossier
City, LA - The Texas Brahmas executed what
a visiting team needs to do in the post-season and that’s
to earn a win on the road. Such was the case Sunday night
when the Brahmas took game one of the Northern Conference
Semi-Finals from the Shreveport Mudbugs by the score of
3-1.
Getting a jump on scoring early came as Texas’ Scott Sheppard
put the puck past Shreveport’s John DeCaro at 3:01. The
score was Sheppard’s fourth in the post-season but the
Brahmas wouldn’t be satisfied with just one goal in the
period.
Closing out the first period, Texas once again struck
when Anders Strome gained his third goal of the post-season
with 90 seconds remaining. The power-play goal gave Texas
some breathing room and confidence heading to the locker
room.
The second period saw the Brahmas giving Shreveport four
opportunities on the man-advantage but Texas’ penalty
killing unit remained strong and denied the Mudbugs on
each attempt.
Shreveport was able to get on the score board at 9:55
of the third period with an even strength goal from Tyrel
Lucas bringing the Mudbugs within one. The deficit reprieve
only last five-minutes when Texas’ Chris Thompson capitalized
on a lucky bounce giving the Brahmas back their two goal
lead and stunning those in attendance into silence.
Even with an extra attacker leaving the Shreveport net
empty for the last two minutes of play, the Mudbugs were
not able to get the puck by Brahmas goalie David Cacciola.
Contact the author at brian.mclean@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
2 |
Texas
4 - B.Shreveport 3 |
| by
Lou Lafrado - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Texas
Leads Series 2-0 |
Bossier
City, LA - Where does one start with this series? The MudBugs set all sorts of records for offense and defense as well as goaltending. They were penned into the third round of the postseason.
Weaknesses? One would scoff at the thought.
Well, somewhere a ring of Dante’s Inferno has frozen solid.
The Texas Brahmas, heavy underdogs in this series, went into Louisiana and stole two games, home ice advantage and a bull chute full of confidence from the MudBugs.
Regardless of the excitement factor of this game and the tight play by both clubs the fact remains the Brahmas are going home up two games over the Bugs.
But this was hardly a fait accompli for either team.
Jordan Cameron was the hero of the night as he potted the game-winning goal at the 19:56 mark of the third period to lift the Brahmas and crush the Bugs.
Cameron’s heroics started earlier in the contest when he connected in the first to give the Brahmas a first period lead.
He connected again in the second to put Texas up 2-0 before Brett Smith cut the lead in half.
The Bugs controlled play in the third period and finally knotted the contest at three when Smith picked up his second of the night on the powerplay at the 8:01 mark. The clubs traded punches the rest of the third until Cameron stepped into the hero’s role.
The Bugs were three for six on the powerplay while Texas picked only one goal on eight chances with the extra man.
David Cacciola was again brilliant in net as he faced 43 shots. John DeCaro suffered the loss in facing 41 Texas shots.
The question is where do the Bugs go from here? Home ice advantage is a distant memory as they travel to Texas for three must win games.
On the other hand Texas now has their foot firmly on the MudBugs’ neck. They cannot let up
Contact the author at : lou.lafrado@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
3 |
B.
Shreveport 2 - Texas 3 |
| by
Brian McLean
- PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Texas
Leads Series 3-0 |
N.
Richland Hills, TX - The Texas Brahmas
returned home Friday night for game three of the CHL Northern
Conference Semi-Finals with a 2-0 advantage hosting the
Shreveport Mudbugs at the NYTex Sports Centre. In the
end, Texas increased their series lead to 3-0 with a tense
3-2 final in the best of seven series.
As with the previous two games, the Brahmas were first
score but this time the scoring charge was led by right
winger Anders Strome who netted his first of two goals
at 4:49 in the first.
Despite numerous penalties and four-on-four hockey scattered
throughout the first and second period, scoring for both
teams was nil until Strome beat Mudbugs goalie Ken Carroll
on a feed from Blair Manning late in the second for a
power-play goal.
While short handed for the second time in the third period,
Shreveport’s Joe Ori was finally able to get Shreveport
on the board at 7:59.
Tensions and play intensity heated up with each passing
minute until 13:36 when Texas’ Jordan Cameron capitalized
on a four-on-three advantage. The two goal Brahma lead
was short lived as the Mudbugs pulled back to within a
goal in just 28 seconds as Mudbug rookie Tyrel Lucas scored
during four-on-four play.
With a draw to Cacciola’s right at 1:35, the Mudbugs pulled
Carroll for the sixth attacker but ended the game being
a man down giving Texas their third straight victory in
the series.
Contact the author at : brian.mclean@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
4 |
B.
Shreveport 3 - Texas 5 |
| by
Brian McLean
- PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Texas
Wins Series 4-0 |
N.
Richland Hills, TX - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs had the shots on goal advantage but it was the Texas Brahmas who had the goal advantage with a 5-3 win in Game Four of the Northern Conference Semi-Finals Saturday night at the NYTex Sports Centre.
In each game of the series, Texas has scored first leading them to close out the night with a victory. Game Four continued the Brahmas scoring trend with Blair Manning’s first goal of the night at 6:58 first but Shreveport’s Joe Ori answered back at 13:06 on the power-play.
With 45 seconds remaining in the physically paced first, Manning netted his second goal of the night on an unassisted strike, but Texas wasn’t done. As the period was winding down Texas’ Scott Sheppard increased the lead by three on the power-play with eight seconds remaining.
Midway in the second, Texas continued their scoring drive as Kevin McLeod increased the Brahmas lead to 4-1. The remainder of the period would remain scoreless but not penalty free as a total of eight minor penalties were assessed, four for each team.
Even through Bossier-Shreveport went down a man four-seconds into the third on a high stick, the Mudbugs were able to hush the sweep chanting and broom holding Brahmas fans at the 11:37 mark on a Daniel Pegoraro goal and then again at 17:26 mark on an Ori score that brought Shreveport within one.
With John DeCaro pulled for the extra attacker, Texas sealed Shreveport’s fate at 19:10 on Sheppard’s empty net goal. The victory gave the Brahmas a sweep of the series and they advanced to meet the Colorado Eagles in the Northern Conference Finals.
Contact the author at : brian.mclean@prohockeynews.com |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Power
Play |
17.8%
- 7th |
| Penalty
Killing |
88.1%
- 2nd |
| FORWARDS |
| CHRIS
BRASSARD |
29-36-65
(+21) |
| DANIEL
PEGORARO |
13-49-62
(+19) |
| BRETT
SMITH |
22-38-60
(+22) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| RYAN
FAIRBARN |
7-26-33
(+25) |
| DALE
LUPUL |
5-22-27
(+35) |
| JASON
BASILE |
4-13-17
(+17) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| JOHN
DeCARO |
27-6-3
(11 SO)
1.63 GA
.941 |
|
| KEN
CARROLL |
17-8-3
(5 SO)
2.04 GA
.929 |
|
|
|
