The 2005-2006 Ray Miron Presidents Cup Finals are set, following five game Conference Finals wins by the Laredo Bucks (Southern Conference Champions) and Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (Northern Conference Champions). The Bucks advanced following a 4-3 double overtime win Saturday night to eliminate the Odessa Jackalopes 4 games to 1, while the Mudbugs dispatched defending champion Colorado by a 2-1 score Monday evening, winning four consecutive contests after losing the series opener 3-2 in double overtime.
Both clubs firmly controlled their Conference Finals series, with Laredo trailing Odessa for only 9:54 of 324+ minutes of play and Bossier-Shreveport behind Colorado for just 10:07 of 330+ minutes of action. Laredo enters the Finals outscoring their opposition 47-25 through 11 post-season contests, with Bossier-Shreveport outscoring their opposition 32-17 through 10 games. The 2005-2006 championship matches the highest scoring club in the CHL playoffs (Laredo is averaging 4.27 goals for per game) against the top defensive unit (Bossier-Shreveport is allowing just 1.70 goals against per outing). Both clubs have successfully defended home ice in the playoffs, each recording unblemished 6-0 marks.
Laredo and Bossier-Shreveport meet in a rematch of the 2003-2004 Finals, won by the Bucks 8:43 into overtime of Game 7 on a disputed goal call in front of a sold out crowd of 8,002 at the Laredo Entertainment Center. The Finals schedule this season follows the same 2-3-2 format, beginning this Friday and Saturday in Laredo prior to shifting to Bossier-Shreveports CenturyTel Center next week for Games 3,4 and 5, if necessary.
Laredo makes their third straight appearance in the championship series, a feat matched only by Bossier-Shreveport, who appeared in, and won, three consecutive Western Professional Hockey League titles the three seasons prior to the May/2001 merger between the WPHL and the CHL.
Additionally, the CHL's Hockey operations Department has announced the officating crew members selected to work the President's Cup Finals. Frederick L'Ecuyer, Paul DePuydt and Tom Sterns will work as Referees throughout the Finals, along with Linesmen Kevin Mighton, Chris Libett, Scott Ferguson and T.J. Nua.
CHL fans can follow the entire post-season on Playoff Central on the CHL website and can view all Finals action live on www.CHLTV.com.