After splitting with the Colorado Grit in last week’s home series, the Odessa Jackalopes will head back on the road for the last time for a while when they travel to Shreveport, La.
The Jackalopes (7-9-1) will face the Shreveport Mudbugs (11-6-0) in this week’s series, beginning with a 7:15 p.m. puck drop on Friday and finish up with a 7:15 game on Saturday at George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum.
Odessa began its series against the Grit with a 1-0 loss last Friday at the Ector County Coliseum before responding in a big way in a 6-1 victory the following Saturday.
“We scored six goals, two of which were on the power play and we had two five-on-fives,” Odessa head coach Scott Deur said. “A little bit of everything was going on. I felt like we should’ve won both games last week. On Friday we let it slip away from us. To see the scoring on Saturday and seeing multiple people on the scoreboard was good and hopefully we can continue that this weekend.”
A five-goal second period on Saturday set the tone for the Jackalopes’ victory and now the team is hoping to continue that run into this weekend’s series.
“That win really gives us confidence that we can put the puck in the net,” Jackalopes goalie Quentin Sigurdson said. “That’s huge. We’re just hoping to keep rolling this weekend against a good Mudbugs team.”
Sigurdson only allowed one goal from the entire weekend last week.
He will soon be continuing his hockey career at the collegiate level after recently committing to Northeastern University for next season.
“I think we’ve been improved from last year in our defense zone,” Deur said. “It starts with our goalie, Quinton Sigurdson who’s been our backbone. … it’s been great to see him grow and develop this year. It all starts with him and he’s been able to lead the group with confidence. He’s only given up minimal goals. Now, we need to start scoring more.”
Sigurdson is excited about the next chapter in his hockey career after this season.
“What brought me out there was a combination of good schooling and good hockey,” Sigurdson said of Northeastern. “You couldn’t beat that. it’s at a good spot in Boston.”
The Mudbugs are 6-4 in their last 10 games and currently have 23 points and are in fifth place in the North American Hockey League South Division standings.
Not much separates the Mudbugs from first place Lone Star as the Brahmas (15-6-0) are currently on top of the division with 31 points.
“They’re in fifth but they’re a couple of wins away from being in fifth place,” Deur said. “They’re a good team. they’re well-coached. They always have a good team. they work hard. They have a good goalie. We’ll have to get pucks to the net and bodies in the net.”
Odessa is currently in seventh place in the nine-team division with 16 points so far.
This week’s series will be the first of four consecutive games against the Mudbugs.
The Jackalopes will return to their home ice next week to face the Mudbugs at 7:15 p.m. Nov. 24 and again on Nov. 25 before closing out the month with a 3:15 game against the Amarillo Wranglers on Nov. 26.
