The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs needed overtime to win Game 1 of their best-of-seven game series with Wichita, while both Laredo and Amarillo posted three goal victories to also take 1-0 series leads as the 2005-2006 Ray Miron President’s Cup playoffs got underway Friday evening. The last series to start, Colorado against Oklahoma City, begins Saturday night at the Budweiser Events Center while the other three series resume with Game 2.

Live CHL Playoff Scoreboard
CHL Playoff Bracket
The CHL Playoffs on CHLTV.com

Bossier-Shreveport 3 @ Wichita 2 (OT)
Bossier-Shreveport Leads Series 1-0
Wichita opened up Game 1 on home ice controlling play, outshooting the Mudbugs 14-9 and scoring twice in the opening period on goals by Jason Duda and Kris Wiebe to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room after the opening 20 minutes of play. A power play blast by rookie defenseman Dale Lupul midway through the second period cut the deficit to 2-1, then a shorthanded goal by Chris Brassard just 40 seconds into the third period evened the score, eventually forcing overtime. Jason Campbell was the hero 7:03 into the extra frame, one timing a rebound off a Dan Wildfong slapshot high past Wichita goaltender Sebastien Laplante to give the Mudbugs a 3-2 victory and a 1-0 series lead. The playoff goal was the 23rd of Campbell’s career, and his first in overtime. Laplante and Mudbugs netminder David Cacciola both played well, with Laplante making 34 saves and Cacciola 32. Game 2 is set for Saturday evening, again at Wichita’s Kansas Coliseum.

Rio Grande Valley 0 @ Laredo 3
Laredo Leads Series 1-0
Scoreless through the first two periods of play on perfect goaltending by Laredo’s Dov Grumet-Morris and Rio Grande Valley’s Evan Lindsay, the Bucks notched three third period goals to take a 1-0 series lead. Chris Grenville opened the scoring early in the third, then Ladislav Kouba extended the lead to 2-0 with under eight minutes remaining. With Lindsay pulled for an extra attacker and Laredo’s Jeff Bes in the penalty box, Kouba sealed the victory with an empty net marker. The win gives Laredo a perfect 4-0 mark all-time in the playoffs against Rio Grande Valley, now outscoring the Killer Bees 13-1. Grumet-Morris stopped all 31 shots he faced to earn a shutout in his first professional playoff start, while Lindsay made 33 saves on 35 shots. Game 2 takes place Saturday, also at the Laredo Entertainment Center.

Odessa 1 @ Amarillo 4
Amarillo Leads Series 1-0
The Gorillas and Jackalopes got their series off to a nasty start, combining for 139 penalty minutes in their first ever playoff meeting. The bulk of the PIM’s came in the third period with the outcome already decided. Gorilla Captain Mark DeSantis (on the power play) and Odessa’s John Kozoriz traded goals in the second period, with third period tallies by Keith Rowe, Derek Hahn and Scott Wray providing the margin of victory. Rowe’s game winner came when teammate Rich Hansen picked off an errant clearing attempt and fed an open Rowe in the slot, who one-time a shot past Jackalopes‘ goaltender Mike Gorman. CHL Most Valuable Player Hahn extended the lead to 3-1 with a breakway goal. Gorman finished the game with 35 saves on 39 shots, while Amarillo’s Shawn Degagne earned his 10th career CHL playoff victory with 36 saves on 37 shots. The series resumes Saturday night at the Amarillo Civic Center for Game 2.