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HIDALGO, TX --

The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees opened the 2010-11 season in Hidalgo with a exhibition r against the Laredo Bucks. Regulation ended in a tie forcing overtime where the Bees took their first and only lead of the game as Tyler Burton netted the game winner at the 1:03 mark of overtime. Matt Smyth created the play with a beautiful cross ice pass that Burton one-touched to the back of the net.

Special teams proved to be the difference maker for the Bees with both a power-play and shorthanded goal. The Bees also forced the Bucks to go 1-8 with the man advantage.

The Bucks opened the scoring at the 5:58 mark when Denys Petrukhno scored from near the slot after a deflection. Neil Trimm collected the assist. The Bees best scoring chance of the first came at the 13:25 mark when Tyler Burton ripped a shot off the blocker-side post.

After one period of play the Bees made a schedule goalie change as Dan Rosen entered the game for Juliano Pagliero. Pagliero made seven saves on eight shots.

The Bucks made the lead two at the 2:12 mark of the second when Joe Scali scored from the top of the circles. The Bees tried to answer back with a two-on-one of their own but a Zac McClellan shot whistled wide.

The Bees cut the Bucks lead in half with a power-play strike when Joe McCann found the back of the net after a misplay by the Laredo net minder, Adam Avramenko. The special teams continued to shine for the Bees as at 10:22 of the second Aaron Lee scored a shorthanded goal. Lee came down Avramenko’s blocker side and was able to find the top of the glove hand side to tie the game at two a piece.

The Bucks retook the lead with a power-play goal of their own at 11:51 of the second when a Reid Edmondston shot trickled to the back of the net after taking a pinball like bounce down the ice.

The Bees once again displayed determination tying the game at 1:41 of the second as defensemen Rob Cowan scored his first preseason goal from right in front of the net. Tyler Burton got the assist on the play after moving the puck to the front from the corner.

The Bucks and Bees would play a scoreless third period forcing overtime. Early in OT Tyler Burton got his second point of the night and scored the game winning goal. Dan Rosen made 19 saves in his two periods of work.

The Killer Bees are back in action Friday night taking on the Bucks once again in Laredo, Texas. The puck drops at 7:30.