Bees pick up another road win

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Daymen Rycroft’s goal with 53 seconds remaining in regulation gave the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees a 2-1 victory over Bossier-Shreveport on Friday night before an announced crowd of 5,085 at the CenturyTel Center.

Andy Franck made 25 saves in the win, which was RGV’s first back-back victory since December.

Following a scoreless first period, RGV (23-25-9) took a 1-0 lead into the third period on Tom Sawatske’s shorthanded goal at the 18:23 of the second. Rycroft earned the assist after snapping a shot that Mudbugs goalie John DeCaro kicked aside. Sawatske drove the net hard and was able to tap it home to give the Killer Bees the lead.

Bossier’s Brett Smith knotted things up with a power play goal at 12:27 of the third, beating Franck five-hole with a backhand shot from 5 feet out.

Rycroft’s winner came after a failed Bossier (33-19-4) clearing attempt. Rycroft rifled the puck from the top of the right circle for his 23rd goal of the year to give RGV the win.

The Killer Bees and Mudbugs square off again 7 p.m. tonight.

ICING: The Bees signed defenseman Kirk Medernach and waived forward Matt Sweazey on Friday.

Medernach, 25, was claimed off waivers on Wednesday. In 41 games this season, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Cudworth, Saskatchewan native has five points (1-4-5) and 71 penalty minutes. Medernach began the season with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and was traded to the Rapid City Rush on Dec. 18 in exchange for Clay Plume. He was waived by Rapid City on Tuesday.

The rugged blueliner played four seasons at Mercyhurst College and appeared in 128 games for the Lakers, posting 29 points (4-25-29) and 272 penalty minutes. During 2007-08, he led the school in plus/minus at plus-14.

Sweazey appeared in 26 games for the Killer Bees and collected seven points (1-6-7) and 16 penalty minutes.