Michael Bunting scored his second goal of the game with 8:53 gone in overtime as Tucson took a 2-1 decision over Texas in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Finals on Wednesday night.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Tucson (10:05 p.m. ET).
Bunting collected a bouncing puck inside his own blue line and raced down the left wing to create a 2-on-1 rush. He then fired a shot from inside the left circle that beat Mike McKenna stick-side to give the Roadrunners their first-ever playoff OT win.
Game 1 was scoreless until Bunting got Tucson on the board first at 13:40 of the second period, putting home the rebound of a Mike Sislo shot for a power-play goal and a 1-0 lead.
That goal ended a streak of 110 consecutive saves over 166:05 — better than eight full periods — for McKenna, who was coming off a 47-save shutout in the Stars’ first-round series clincher nine days ago.
Texas finally broke through with a power-play goal of their own, Brian Flynn‘s third goal of the playoffs with 3:35 left in regulation, a redirection of Travis Morin‘s shot from the top of the right-wing circle. That was the first goal allowed by the Roadrunners’ Adin Hill in 178:48, ending his bid to become the first goaltender ever with three consecutive shutouts in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Hill (4-1) finished with 23 saves to earn the win. McKenna (3-2) stopped 34 of 36 shots in the loss.
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