Barons Fall To Stars In OT, Lose Game 1

Mike Hedden scored the game-tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in overtime to lift the Texas Stars past the Oklahoma City Barons 3-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinal round of the Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday night at the Cox Convention Center.

Hedden's game-winning goal came at 5:35 of the overtime period when, after a wrap-around attempt by Stars center Justin Dowling, Hedden chipped the rebound past sprawling Oklahoma City goal tender Richard Bachman.

After a scoreless first period that saw the two teams trade momentum throughout, Austin Fyten put the Barons on the board at 1:49 of the second frame, moving the puck from the right side to the left of the Texas crease, before leaving his feet and depositing the puck past Stars goalie Christopher Nilstorp.

Later in the period, Oklahoma City extended its lead when Curtis Hamilton grabbed a Will Acton pass near the left circle and fired a shot that sailed over Nilstorp's trapper and into the back of the Stars net. The goal gave the Barons a 2-0 lead at the 7:04 mark of the second.

The Stars cut the Oklahoma City lead to 2-1 at 14:32 of the second when, after a interference penalty was assessed to the Barons' Travis Ewanyk, Texas' Derek Meech fired a shot from the right circle that hit off OKC goalie Richard Bachman's pads and trickled into the Barons net.

Texas tied the score at the 7:18 of the third when Hedden received a Scott Glennie pass and raced toward the right side of the Barons net and flipped a top-shelf shot past Bachman to secure the 3-2 win.

Hedden's goal in overtime gave the Stars a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series that resumes Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. at the Cox Convention Center.