CHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Eagles Week In Review

Published on December 14, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Week in Review

Monday, December 7; Saturday Night's Gonna Be Totally Rad

Eagles Fans,

Saturday night's game is 80's Night! We're encouraging fans to come dressed in 80's-style clothes as we get into the spirit of the 80's. In addition to the 80's attire, there will be 80's trivia throughout the first two periods, 80's music throughout the game and Karaoke at The Water Valley Tap!

Also, there will be special offers at the Eagles' merchandise stand ($8 off any purchase of $25 or more) and through Ovations Food Services (Special Edition Eagles Beer Mugs*).

Also happening Saturday night:

Jason Beatty Bobblehead Night

The Russian Bar Trio will perform during the first intermission

Post-game autographs (Beatty, Haddon, Hogg, Jackson, Lundmark, McLeod) and radio show

* - Ovations and The Eagles introduce the "Theme Night Beer Mug!"

Eagles logo beer mugs can be purchased for $5 and can only be filled with draft beers purchased with special beer mug tokens (also $5 each). You must have an Eagles mug in order to purchase the tokens. The tokens and mugs can be used at any game this season, but they can only be purchased on special theme nights (12/12, 1/16, 2/12, 3/12).

Wednesday, December 9; The Capital Sports Report Interviews Nelson, Ulanski & Foster

The Capital Sports Report took the time last week to get to know the Eagles' Riley Nelson, Kevin Ulanski and Shane Foster.

Thursday, December 10; Christmas Trees Benefit the Eagles Foundation

Eagles Fans,

If you haven't purchased your Christmas trees yet, it's not too late! We'd like to encourage you to get yours from the Crossroads Christmas Tree lot on the corner of Crossroads Blvd. and Fairground Ave. Trees start at just $20, and five dollars from each tree purchased will go to The Colorado Eagles Foundation. In addition, the coupon below can be presented for $5 off your total purchase.

Crossroads Christmas Trees is open Monday-Friday, 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The lot offers trees in all sizes and varieties, as well as fresh wreaths. Christmas tree stands, in addition to local delivery and removal services, are also available.

About The Colorado Eagles Foundation

The Colorado Eagles Foundation was founded during the Eagles inaugural season in 2003 and is dedicated to supporting positive change in our community by focusing on the education, health and well-being and recreation of children and families throughout Northern Colorado. The Eagles Foundation is part of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado which is a non-profit, public charity that is a collection of many different charitable funds, each separately accounted for, and each with its own design and purpose.

Friday, December 11; 107.9 The Bear Teddy Bear Collection

Eagles Fans,

The Colorado Eagles and their radio home -- KPAW 107.9 The Bear -- are teaming up for a teddy bear collection during their home game on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Fans are encouraged to bring new teddy bears to the game and drop them off at the 107.9 The Bear table on the concourse.

The Bear Cares for Kids Charity Drive benefits three local children's charities, C.A.R.E. (Children Advocacy Resource Education), the Kids Matter Project and the United Daycare Center. For more information on these charities visit their Web sites by clicking on the links above.

Friday, December 11; Ulanski Nets Winner in Final Minute; Eagles Win 3-2

AMARILLO, Texas - The Colorado Eagles ended their extremely successful road trip with a 3-2 victory against the Amarillo Gorillas, taking 12 of a possible 14 points on their seven-game road swing and improving their Northern Conference-leading point total to 31 (a 15-4-1 record). In a game that differed greatly from their last meeting (a record-setting 10-4 Eagles win), the two teams staged a tightly-contested match with great goaltending at both ends of the ice.

The Eagles and Gorillas skated to a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes of play with both goals coming early on in the opening period. Brett Lutes got Colorado on the board first with a wrister from between the circles at 1:32. But just over two minutes later, Mike Mole misplayed the puck near the goal line and David Nimmo took advantage with a wraparound score to even the game at 1.

The teams traded power-play goals in the second period, with Amarillo making it 2-1 at 3:15 when Stuart MacRae scored from the right side of the net. Brown made several big saves during the period to keep Colorado at bay, but the Eagles were able to tie it back up with a man-advantage tally of their own at 12:09 when Ryan Tobler found Riley Nelson in the low slot.

In the third period it was Mole's turn to come up with some big saves as he stopped all 16 Gorillas shots. And just as the game appeared to be going to overtime, Kevin Ulanski netted the game-winner with 46 seconds left. The All-CHL forward received a cross-ice pass from Aaron Schneekloth -- his All-CHL defenseman teammate -- and snapped a shot past Brown's glove hand from the right circle.

Saturday, December 12; December NoCo Show Debuts Sunday

Fans,

The December edition of the Colorado Eagles NoCo Hockey Show debuts Sunday night on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. The half-hour monthly show enters its third season of bringing you the best in Eagles off-ice entertainment. The Voice of the Eagles, Kevin McGlue, hosts the show that gives fans an inside look at the team on and off the ice with a mix of humorous segments, behind-the-scenes features, interviews and hockey highlights.

This months show features: the Penner brothers in a good 'ol brotherly competition as they square off in a shootout -- and then switch gear -- see who wins bragging rights, Ed McGrane takes the clippers to Fraser Filipic's hair in another installment of "Don't Quit Your Day Job," a new segment of the "Plus/Minus" game show and Lauren Gardner testing several Eagles' I.Q.'s in The Lightning Round.

Below is a full list of this months airings:

Sunday, Dec. 13: 10 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 14: 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 15: 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 17: 2:30 a.m.

Friday, Dec. 18: 7:30 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 20: 1 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 20: 10 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 21: 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 22: 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 25: 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 27: 10 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 28: 6:30 p.m.

Be sure to check your local listings for Altitude Sports & Entertainment and additional Colorado Eagles hockey coverage!

Saturday, December 12; Eagles Top 'Jacks in Shootout, 2-1

LOVELAND, Colo. - In a matchup of the CHL's two conference leaders, the Colorado Eagles came out on top of the Odessa Jackalopes in a tightly contested, 2-1, shootout. Despite the Eagles and the Jackalopes being the two highest-scoring teams in the league, the game came down to solid defense and fantastic netminding.

As would be expected, the two teams were evenly matched with the first period play and shots nearly identical (Odessa held a slight edge at 8-7). The only goal of the period came when the Jackalopes showed why they own the league's top power play as Mike Ramsay snapped a shot past Andrew Penner from the slot at 8:28. Penner rebounded with several big saves later in the frame -- the biggest coming on a 2-on-0 shorthanded break -- to keep it 1-0.

Joel Martin made his fair share of solid saves in the second, and Odessa showed why their penalty kill is also atop the league standings as they held the home team to just six shots in the stanza despite Colorado having three power plays. Jim Jackson got the Eagles on the scoreboard, however, when he scored eight seconds into the third man-advantage chance by one-timing a low, hard shot past the 'Jacks netminder from the top of the right circle.

The goaltenders continued to steal the show -- and rob opposing shooters -- as Martin denied Brett Lutes 1:45 into the third period by sliding right to left across his crease. He then stopped Kevin Ulanski four minutes in when the Eagles winger teamed up with Riley Nelson for a shorthanded rush.

The Eagles out-shot the Jackalopes 11-8 in the third, winning the shot battle for the first time in the game and nearly evening the overall shots. But despite Colorado out-chancing Odessa down the stretch, neither team could score again in regulation and the game headed to overtime.

After a back-and-forth overtime frame failed to decide the contest, the CHL's top teams headed to a shootout to crown a winner. Dominic Leveille and Nelson started the shootout netting goals for their respective squads, but Penner turned aside each of the other four Odessa shooters and Ed McGrane picked up his 100th goal as an Eagle with a shot that trickled over the goal line for the winner.

The Eagles will take on the Wichita Thunder on Wednesday night at the Budweiser Events Center before a weekend set with the expansion Missouri Mavericks (also at home).

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, December 16; Eagles Look To Stay Perfect Against Thunder

The Eagles are 3-0 against the Thunder so far this season, holding Wichita to two goals or fewer each time. That's right on par with Wichita's goals-per-game average of 2, as the offensively-starved Thunder have scored the fewest goals in the league (46). Wichita enters the week with the fewest points in the CHL and a record of 3-17-3 -- they're just 1-9-1 on the road.

Friday, December 18 & Saturday, December 19; Missouri Makes Final Trip To Colorado With Weekend Set

Colorado took the first ever meeting against the expansion Mavericks, 6-2, on Oct. 23. Missouri enters the week in sixth place in the Northern Conference with a record of 10-11-1, with six of their 10 losses have come against the Thunder. Veteran forward Jeff Christian leads the team with 28 points (9-19-28), and former Oklahoma City Blazers goalie Doug Groenestege has been the team's stallwart in net (7-4-1, 3.05 GAA, .896 SV%). Groenestege is just one of many former Blazers on the Mavs' roster.

Notable Numbers

BALANCED ATTACK - Through three games so far this season, the Eagles have shown a balanced offensive attach against the Thunder. Of Colorado's 11 goals in the season series, just one player has scored more than one goal (Riley Nelson, 2).

OFFENSE & DEFENSE - The Colorado Eagles have come by the best winning percentage in the CHL (.786) with a combination of stellar offensive and defensive play. The Eagles enter the week ranked second in the league in both goals-for (4.29) and goals-against average (2.71).

WINNING WAYS - Andrew Penner picked up his 41st win between the pipes for the Eagles on Saturday, tying him for second place on the team's all-time list with Marco Emond. Emond ended his Colorado career with 41 wins in 54 games -- the same number of games Penner has now played in for Colorado. The shootout win was also Penner's seventh in a row, tying the fourth-longest winning streak in team history.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB - Eagles forward Ed McGrane is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (3) after picking up the shootout winner on Saturday night. It was not only a timely goal, but a milestone marker as well. McGrane now ranks alongside Riley Nelson (214), Greg Pankewicz (207) and Ryan Tobler (166) as the only players to score 100 goals in an Eagles uniform.

TOP-10 BOUND - Second-year Eagles forward Kevin Ulanski (119) is one point away from joining Chris Hartsburg and Seth Leonard in a ninth place tie on the Eagles' all-time points list. Ulanski is following up a stellar first season in the CHL -- in which he was named to the All-CHL Team and tied for the league lead in assists -- with another solid start and has averaged 1.42 points-per-game in his Colorado career.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2009


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