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Colorado Eagles Weekly Update

January 14, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL) - Colorado Eagles News Release


LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

Monday, January 7; Injury Sidelines Colorado Eagles Captain Riley Nelson for Season, Franchise leader to continue contributing to team as part of locker room

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles announced today that the team's captain, Riley Nelson, has suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He will remain a part of the team in the locker room for the rest of the season, providing leadership and input for the players and coaches. Nelson is the club's all-time leader in just about every offensive category, and is the only player to have played in each of the Eagles' 10 seasons of existence.

Tuesday, January 8; Eagles Add to Roster Depth With Addition of A.J. Hau

The Colorado Eagles announced today the signing of local product A.J. Hau. A native of Fort Collins, Colo., Hau was a member of the Northern Colorado Youth Hockey program prior to playing hockey at Colorado State University and then as a pro with the Eagles in 2010-11 when they played in the Central Hockey League. He also began last season on the Eagles' roster before finishing the campaign with the Laredo Bucks of the CHL.

Wednesday, January 9; Balanced Attack, Forney's Hat Trick Lead Eagles Past Thunder, 8-3

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles extended their winning streak at the Budweiser Events Center to eight games with an 8-3 win over the Stockton Thunder in the second of four straight games between the Western Conference rivals. Colorado got goals from six different scorers, led by Michael Forney 's hat trick, as he busted out of a scoring slump in a big way.

Friday, January 11; Eagles Win 9th Straight at Home With 4-1 Victory Over Thunder

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles earned their 9th straight win at the Budweiser Events Center with a 4-1 victory over the Stockton Thunder in the third of four straight meetings between the teams; they'll face-off again Saturday night. Colorado's league-leading power play provided a pair of goals to aid Adam Brown 's 22-save performance.

Saturday, January 12; Eagles, Thunder Rivalry Grows in 6-2 Stockton Win

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Stockton Thunder defeated the Colorado Eagles, 6-2, in the fourth straight game between the teams, wrapping up the season series in a 3-3-0 tie. The teams combined for 83 penalty minutes in a game that featured plenty of feistiness, and even though the season just passed its halfway point, if the playoffs began today, the teams (separated by just six points in the standings) would square-off in the opening round for the second year in a row.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday, January 18; Colorado & Ontario Clash in First of Few Meetings This Season

The Eagles and Reign will meet for the first of just five meetings this season Friday night, marking the fewest number of times Colorado will face any Western Conference opponent. Last season, the Eagles went 6-4-1 against the Reign, with each team registering 43 goals. In Ontario, Colorado went 2-2-0 with each team tallying 15 of those goals. Ontario enters the week reigning over the Pacific Division, trailing only Alaska in the Western Conference.

Saturday, January 19; Eagles Look to Beat the House in Las Vegas

The Eagles will look to do something Saturday that they have rarely done in the past -- come out on top in Las Vegas. In eight all-time contests at the Orleans Arena, Colorado is 3-5-0 and has been out-scored 39-29. They gave up a late lead in their only visit to Sin City earlier this season, losing 4-3 after the Wranglers scored three times in the final frame. After a sluggish start to the season, the reigning Wester Conference champs have hit their stride and trail Colorado by just three points entering the week.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

EVENLY MATCHED - The Eagles and Thunder an all-time series that's about as close as one can get. Through 15 all-time meetings in the regular season, Colorado has a slight edge in both record (8-7-0) and goals (51-48). Last season, Colorado went 5-4-0 against Stockton with a 31-28 edge in goals, and this season the teams played to a perfect tie: 3-3-0 with 20 goals each. Each team, however, has asserted its dominance at home, with the Eagles establishing a 6-3-0 record at the Budweiser Events Center and the Thunder going 4-2-0 at Stockton Arena.

FEWER THAN FOUR - The Eagles have been nearly unbeatable when allowing three or fewer goals in a game this season, going 18-1-0. They have 19 wins on the year, meaning that all but one of them has come when allowing fewer than four goals. The lone exception came after regulation when they defeated the defending champion Florida Everblades, 6-5, in a shootout.

POWERED TO VICTORY - The Eagles own the league's most potent power play with a conversion rate of 24.4%, including a league-leading 28.4% clip at home. Forward Michael Forney has had a lot to do with that, as he leads the ECHL with nine power-play goals. Colorado is 17-8-3 when netting a power-play goal this season and 2-9-0 when failing to convert on the man-advantage.

HOME ICE ADVANTAGE - Saturday night's loss was Colorado's first at home since Nov. 21, snapping a nine-game winning streak for the Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center. That surge has helped them establish one of the league's best home ice advantages. Only Alaska (17 wins, 34 pts.) & Wheeling (16 wins, 35 pts.) have more home wins and points at home than Colorado (16 wins, 31 pts.).

THE FIRST OF FEW - With the season already past its halfway point, the Eagles will face the Ontario Reign for the first time this season when the teams meet Friday night in California. It will mark the first of just five match-ups between the teams -- the fewest Colorado will face any Western Conference opponent. Last season, the Eagles went 6-4-1 against the Reign, with each team registering 43 goals.

OTHER HAPPENINGS

All-Star Festivities Just Around the Corner - The Colorado Eagles will be taking on the best the rest of the league has to offer during the ECHL's midseason showcase, which will be held at the Budweiser Events Center on January 22 and 23. A Fan Fest & Skills Competition will take place on the 22nd (tickets start at just $10) with an All-Star Game being played on the 23rd (tickets start at just 18)!

Last Week to Vote for Defenseman #2 - Voting for the second and final defenseman on the Fans' Choice All-Decade Team, presented by the Eye Laser Center of Northern Colorado ends Sunday! If you vote, you will not only help decide this historic team, but you could win an awesome prize, highlighted by FREE LASIK!


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