An overtime victory for the Tucson Roadrunners turned a dull Wednesday night playoff series opener into the latest dramatic touch to the team’s historic season.
Forward Michael Bunting scored 8:53 into overtime to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 win over the Texas Stars in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Calder Cup second round series.
“It felt good,” Bunting said. “I kind of blanked out and fell on my celebration, but I was definitely very excited to get the first win of the series. Hopefully we can get another one Friday.”
The win gives the Roadrunners a crucial early series lead as they look to further capitalize on home ice advantage in Game 2 on Friday night.
The first game of the series lacked fireworks.
Roadrunners goalie Adin Hill made his third straight stellar start, saving 23 of 24 shots including a point-blank save in the opening moments of overtime.
Hill earned his first career overtime win with the victory.
Tucson and Texas traded control of the puck for various periods during regulation with neither team finding much success on offense.
Bunting scored both of Tucson’s goals. He netted a power play goal assisted by Mike Sislo and Mario Kempe at 13:40 of second period to put Tucson on the board.
The Roadrunners outshot Texas 31-19 in regulation, but missed a handful of Grade-A scoring opportunities in the second and third periods. Tucson appeared to be in good position to win before the Stars tied the game with 3:35 remaining on a deflection goal by Brian Flynn.
The goal came on a power play off of a penalty by Bunting, who redeemed himself with the overtime goal.
“I’ve got to control myself,” Bunting said. “I like to play on the edge and it happens. It’s unfortunate that it was the last four minutes of the third period.”
Said Roadrunners coach Mike Van Ryn: “Bunting had some shots and some chances, so he’s worked hard for us all year. Yeah, I’m not happy with the penalty, but we’re lucky we get to deal with it in a positive manner.”
Roadrunners goalie Hill had gone nearly 180 consecutive minutes of play without allowing a score.
“We took a penalty and after you give a team enough power plays eventually they’re going to score,” Hill said. “It hit off a stick on its way to the net and it deflected over me.”
The tie to regulation forced Tucson and Texas to take part in the postseason’s extended overtime format of 20 minutes of sudden death play.
The Stars had three shots on goal in the first 75 seconds of overtime, but Hill staved off the attack.
“Everyone in OT is going to come out with their best,” Hill said. “They came out flying and they threw a lot at the net, and I thought we bounced back well. We got a few chances and we buried one.”
Texas Stars goalie Mike McKenna matched Hill’s effort, saving 34 of 36 shots.
The Roadrunners gave all fans in attendance white T-shirts as part of the team’s postseason white-out promotion. Tucson will hand out white rally towels for Game 2 of the series Friday.
The Roadrunners will look to pick up another home win before the series moves to Texas next week for Games 3 and 4, and Game 5 if-necessary.
