Amarillo, Tx- The Wranglers stretch their win streak to five games following a 4-to-1 victory over the Mudbugs Friday night. The Wranglers returned for their first game at the Budweiser Bullpen since Sept. 25.
Nikolas Campbell would benefit from a strange puck bounce as buried his third goal of the season into the wide open net as Simon Bucheler was caught behind his net. The goal would mark the fifth straight game where Amarillo got the games first goal.
Just five minutes later, the Wranglers would double their lead when Glebs Prohorenkovs buried a rebound chance at the 10:37 mark of the opening period. Amarillo would dictate play for most of the opening frame but would find themselves shorthanded in the final moments. Max Gutjahr would make back to back acrobatic stops on the penalty kill to preserve the two-goal lead for Amarillo into the first intermission.
Newcomer Bryce Battaglia would find the scoresheet at the 6:35 mark of the second period with a wicked wrist shot to give Amarillo a three-goal lead in the second period. The Wranglers would stifle the Shreveport attack but would surrender the lone Mudbugs goal to Billy Feczko at 12:46 of the second.
Amarillo would hold on to the two-goal lead for most of the third period when Battaglia forced a turnover and scored on a breakaway 12 minutes into the third period. The Wranglers would secure the 4-to-1 score to earn their fifth consecutive win. The game ended on a physical note when Colin Doherty collided with Drayton Todoroff along the end boards resulting in an outburst of scrums as the final horn sounded.
Amarillo now sits with a 10-and-3 record and have collected 20 points on the season for second place in the division. The Wranglers will look to extend their win streak Saturday night against the Mudbugs. The team will be honoring military members and veterans for their first ‘Military Night’ in the young franchise history.