Texas hold em, Stars upset Bears in Game 1

HERSHEY, PA – For all of the talk surrounding the Hershey Bears’ quest to win their 11^th Calder Cup, the Texas Stars, who are in their inaugural season, went and did something no other team in this year’s playoff season, that’s take Game One of a best-of-seven playoff series. Rookie Scott McCulloch scored an unassisted goal 2:10 into the third period and broke a 1-1 tie, propelling Texas to a stunning 2-1 win in Game 1 of the 2010 Calder Cup Finals.  McCulloch came down the left wing and cut across the middle of the ice and somehow got the puck around a sprawling Bears defenseman and went backhand between the legs of Hershey goaltender Michal Neuvirth for the go ahead goal.
“I came driving down the left side there,” said McCulloch after the game. “The defense was sliding over to me and I thought about bulling my through but just threw the puck on net and it went five-hole.”
 
The Bears and Stars played a scoreless first period despite the fact that Texas outshot Hershey 12-2. Hershey did however strike first on the scoreboard when Francois Bouchard scored at 4:25 of the second period when he took at pass at the right face-off circle cut across the Stars net and slipped the puck past Stars goaltender Matt Climie for the 1-0 lead. It was the 11^th straight game that Texas allowed the first goal of the game in the playoffs.
“This was huge for us,” added McCulloch.   “They are definitely a skilled bunch of players.   And we don’t think they will get away their style any going into game two.”
The Stars Greg Rallo tied the game for Texas with a nice blast that beat Neuvirth high glove side from high in the slot area just as Rallo came across the blueline at 9:57 of the second period.
 
Despite being badly outshot in the first period the Bears outshot the Stars 25-14 the rest of the game. Neither team scored on a total of six power play opportunities. Game 2 will be in Hershey Saturday night.
 
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com