2004 CHL President's Cup Finals -Game 1
The Bucks beat the Mudbugs 3-1 in the first of a seven-game series.

04.19.04 -- Laredo, Texas– The Laredo Bucks squeaked out a 3-1 win over the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in Game One of the 2004 CHL President's Cup Finals.

In front of 6,871 fans at the Laredo Entertainment Center, Laredo forward Steve Simoes scored the game winner late in the third period to give the Bucks a 1-0 lead in the best of seven series.

The Bucks dominated the early play in period number one, but Mudbugs' goalie Ken Carroll was outstanding to keep Laredo off the scoreboard.

Bossier cracked thru first when defenseman Travis Bell wristed home a pass from forward Dan Wildfong at 15:44 for a 1-0 Mudbugs lead.

With the Bucks on the man advantage, forward Brent Cullaton fired a shot from the right point that forward James Hiebert redirected into the net to tie the game at 17:55. It was the fifth of the playoffs for Hiebert. Laredo out shot Bossier 18-5 in the period.

In the second period both goalies took center stage as they traded spectacular saves at each end of the ice. Bucks goalie David Guerrera stopped all 14 shots he faced and Carroll turned aside 11 shots.

In the third period both teams used a more cautious approach. The Bucks had a couple of early chances on the power play, but were unable to crack thru. Finally late in the third period Laredo was able to capitalize.

Simoes took the puck in the neutral zone, split two men and then backhanded the puck low stick side past Carroll at 13:38 to give the Bucks the lead and send the crowd into a frenzy.

Guerrera made several huge saves down the stretch and forward Patrik Nilson capped it with his seventh of the playoffs into an empty net at 19:54.

In net, Guerrera was spectacular stopping 27 of 28 shots to improve to 6-1. Carroll was also brilliant, allowing just two goals on 35 shots, but took the hard luck loss to fall 6-3.

History is now on Laredo's side, as in 16 previous league finals, the winner of Game One has captured the series 15 times.