BOSSIER CITY, La. – The Colorado Eagles fell, 4-2, in Game 4 of the Northern Conference Semifinals to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, losing the series four-games-to-none. It marked just the second time in their seven playoff seasons that Colorado had been swept in a playoff series. Ironically, the Eagles swept the Mudbugs last season in the same round.

The Mudbugs out-shot (17-12) and out-scored (3-0) the Eagles in the first period. Bossier-Shreveport capitalized on both of its power play chances before adding a late score to account for the 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Shawn Limpright, the ‘Bugs’ leading scorer in the regular season, got the opening tally at 4:18 when he was able to deflect a Jamie Milam pass into the net on a back-door pass from the right circle. Justin Aikins made it 2-0, at 11:27, when he took a cross-slot pass from Tyrel Lucas and wristed it past Andrew Penner’s glove.

Then at 17:52, Travis Clayton scored the final goal of the frame after Limpright grabbed the puck along the right-wing boards, cut toward the crease, and sent a pass through the paint to the Mudbugs’ veteran.

Colorado got on the board in the first minute of the second stanza when Ed McGrane stuffed home a power-play goal 50 seconds in. But Bossier-Shreveport made it a three-goal margin again, just over 10 minutes later, when Jim Jorgensen’s shot from the left point was deflected in front by Lucas for a 4-1 lead.

Just like in Game 3, the Eagles put up a lot of shots in the third period — trying to get back in the game — but could only crack Ken Carroll late in the frame with an extra attacker on the ice. With just 55 seconds left in the game, Ryan Tobler put home a 6-on-4, power-play goal to cut the Mudbugs’ lead in half. That is how the game — and the Eagles’ seventh consecutive playoff season — would end.