CHL Colorado Eagles

McVicar stops 51 of 53 to Put Sundogs up 3-0

Published on May 7, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Arizona Sundogs defeated the Colorado Eagles 5-2 in Game Three of the President's Cup Finals to take a 3-0 series lead. Rob McVicar stopped 51 of 53 Eagles shots (the most shots for Colorado in a playoff game in franchise history) and Mark Kolanos recorded a hat trick to power the Sundogs. McVicar has stopped 81-84 Eagles' shots in the last two games.

The first period continued a theme from Game Two, with the Eagles dominating 5-on-5 (out-shooting Arizona 18-11) but missing on numerous close calls - shots went just wide and rebounds were just out of reach - and McVicar making several solid stops. Jason Visser put the Sundogs on the board first when he backhanded a shot past Sebastien Laplante at 16:14. The play was made possible after a turnover in the left-wing corner where Tyler Liebel was able to just nudge the puck into the low slot for Visser. But Colorado answered just 28 seconds later when Ryan Tobler followed his own shot from the hashes that fluttered up and over McVicar and tapped the puck home from behind the Sundogs' goalie.

Colorado continued to carry the play through the first part of the second period, until Mark Kolanos blew a slapshot past Laplante at 10:23 from the right faceoff dot. The Eagles appeared to tie the game at 2 when Aaron Schneekloth was tripped as he drove the net 4-on-4 with just under five minutes left in the period. The All-Star defenseman then slid into McVicar and the puck entered the net with both of them, but referee Ian Croft had blown his whistle before the puck crossed the goal line, negating the score.

McVicar stepped up again early in the third, robbing Greg Pankewicz's one-timer by diving across the crease from left to right 1:16 in. Kolanos got his second goal in a row at 5:58 on the power-play when he tipped a point shot from right in front and knocked in his own rebound. With Colorado pressuring to score, midway through the period, the Sundogs took advantage of a 3-on-1 break with Alex Leavitt beating Laplante 5-hole from the top of the right circle. Tobler cut the Arizona lead in half when he got his second goal of the night - and third in as many games - at 16:52 when he chipped the puck past McVicar after a scrum in front of the Arizona crease. But Kolanos made it 5-2 with his hat-trick-sealing tally at 17:55 on a shot from the right circle to cement the final score.

Game Four will take place Friday, May 9, starting at 7:05 p.m. If the Eagles win, Game Five - the final game scheduled for the Budweiser Events Center this season - will be played on Sunday, May 11. Games Six and Seven are scheduled for May 13 and 14 in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

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Central Hockey League Stories from May 7, 2008


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