Goalie DeCaro has Blazers' number

If you were in the crowd at the Ford Center last Friday night, count yourself lucky.

You saw a goaltender the likes of which aren't likely to come this way again.

Bossier-Shreveport's John DeCaro became the only goalie in history to shut out the Blazers in three straight games.

No, he won't get credit for the shutout, which would have been DeCaro's ninth of the season, because he didn't play the first 35 seconds of the game. But the Blazers know better: They faced DeCaro three times this season, all at the Ford Center, and they were shut out three times.

Going back to last season, DeCaro has shut out the Blazers in his last 183:38 in goal against them.

"He's challenging the shooters really well,” Bossier coach Scott Muscutt said. "He's standing up when we need him to, and he's very composed. He's not scrambling out there. He's doing a great job for us.”

DeCaro, in his second full pro season, is having such a great time that he hopes he isn't called up to the American Hockey League.

"I was fortunate to go last year, and it was a good experience,” the Marysville, Wash., native said. "Hopefully in time I can go up for a couple of games or something. But I feel like this is our year to make some noise. I think we've got a good chance to win it all.”

The Mudbugs, after losing their first six games of the season, have had an amazing record of 33-4-3 — even though they've lost their two games, both to Texas, since leaving Oklahoma City.

With Bossier-Shreveport all but assured of the Central Hockey League's Northeast Divison title, DeCaro hopes he stays with the Mudbugs for the rest of the season.

"Right now I'd absolutely rather be here than up there (to the AHL),” DeCaro said. "We lost (defenseman) Dale Lupul (to the AHL) the other day and that definitely hurts us. I'd like to play in the American League this year, but the way the season's going I don't see how I could leave. We've just got something too good going here.”

DeCaro and fellow Mudbugs goaltender Ken Carroll rank 1-2 in the CHL in goals-against average and saves percentage. They have combined for 12 shutouts, two more than the previous league record.

"Kenny and I played well last year, too,” DeCaro said. "But the magnitude we're playing at this year is a little surreal.”