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Penalty-Filled Period Sways Game in Eagles Loss

December 3, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL) Colorado Eagles

WICHITA, Kan. - The Colorado Eagles fell, 5-4, to the Wichita Thunder as the home team scored all five of their goals in a penalty-filled second period. Despite the score, Andrew Penner was strong in net for the Eagles, who had just two power plays compared to Wichita's seven. The game was delayed a half hour because referee Tudor Floru was stuck in transit, and the complexion of the contest changed once he arrived; linesman Dennis Mercer filled in as ref in the first frame.

The Eagles out-shot the Thunder 12-8 in a first period of back-and-forth action. Penner was strong in net, making several quality saves, while a giveaway by Marc-Antonie Gelinas at the other end of the ice led to the only goal of the frame. At 14:53, Gelinas committed a turnover similar to one by Penner last Saturday -- in the same building -- and Brett Thurston sent the puck into the net for his second goal of the season.

After a fast-flowing -- and penalty-free -- first period, the second period saw seven power-plays awarded, the first five in a row to Wichita, and just one overall to Colorado. It started early with Kory Scoran tying the game at 1 just 10 seconds into the first power-play 38 seconds into the period.

Colorado countered at 3:59 when Aaron Schneekloth took a back-door pass from Dylan Stanley and beat Gelinas. And just over three and a half minutes later, the Eagles made it 3-1 when Kip Workman converted on a similar play from Daymen Rycroft.

But at 8:09, a third penalty in a row was called on Colorado and Head Coach Chris Stewart made it a two-man disadvantage by demonstrating his displeasure through tossing water bottles onto the playing surface -- getting ejected in the process.

On the ensuing 5-on-3, A.J. Gale was able to trim Colorado's lead to 3-2 by beating the Eagles' netminder with a third whack from the doorstep. And at 13:07, Scoran got his second score of the period -- on Wichita's fifth power play in a row -- after poking home a puck that Penner appeared to have frozen without getting a whistle.

The Thunder took the lead 51 seconds later when Jesse Bennefield beat defenseman George Bradley. And less than a minute after that, Aaron Davis made it 5-3 for the home team, scoring Wichita's fourth goal in a row.

Colorado got a brief reprieve from the penalty kill and converted 19 seconds into their only man advantage of the period to make it 5-4, Wichita. Schneekloth picked up the goal -- his second of the period -- by jamming home a rebound at 15:48. The eight combined goals in the second stanza tied a franchise record for most goals in a period. The five goals against tied the second-most ever scored in a single period against the Eagles.

In a third period that saw just two penalties called (one on each team), the Eagles out-shot the Thunder 8-5 -- out-shooting them in the game despite the power-play discrepancy -- but couldn't beat Gelinas again, and the game ended the same way the second period did.

Colorado will finish their road trip Saturday night in Texas; Floru is the scheduled referee in that game as well.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2010


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