Borsheim Presented with $100,000 Check At Benefit Game
Published on October 8, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
LOVELAND, Colo. - On a night when most numbers didn't matter - the score, shots, stats of any kind, really - one number definitely mattered. One-hundred thousand. That's the amount of money fans across Northern Colorado and the continent have helped contribute to the Les Borsheim Recovery Fund, and that's the number that was written on the giant check presented to Les himself during the second intermission of the Les Borsheim Benefit Game played between the Colorado Eagles and Rocky Mountain Rage tonight.
The festivities started early with Les' parents, Con and Margie, dropping the ceremonial first puck. They received a rousing ovation along with a video tribute to Les that was played on the Budweiser Events Center's videoboard and projection screens while the fans stood in recognition.
The second intermission included the star of the show - Les - at ice level to receive the check that included proceeds from the night's ticket sales along with every other dollar raised toward his recovery over the past few months since his tragic accident. The check ceremony was accompanied by a rousing, standing ovation, the chant of "Les" and speeches from Eagles President & General Manager Chris Stewart and CEO Martin Lind. And the building really roared when two of Les' closest friends on the team - Ed McGrane and Greg Pankewicz - emerged from the locker room and skated over to their friend.
After the game, Borsheim returned to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital where he will continue to recover with a November release date in mind. From there, he will return to Windsor where his home is being made wheelchair accessible.
As far as the night's hockey went, the Eagles defeated the Rage by a score of 6-3 in both teams' initial action of the preseason. Colorado started with a line of Kevin Ulanski, Riley Nelson and Pankewicz, backed by Aaron Schneekloth and Erik Adams on the blueline and Morgan Cey in net. The next line combinations out of the chute were Brett Hammon-McGrane-Ryan Tobler, Adam Knight-Adam Hogg-Logan Bittle and Jason Aldrich-Steve Haddon-Jon Jankus; the other defensive pairings were Scott Polaski with Brad Woods and Jason Beatty with Patrick Dineen.
The first period saw plenty of special-teams play, with Schneekloth scoring the game's first goal on the power-play at 6:25. Haddon raced down the left wing, sent a pass across the crease to Schneekloth in the right circle, where the defenseman passed back to Tobler trailing at the hash marks; Tobler's shot was then tipped by Schneekloth before beating Marty Magers. Rocky Mountain followed that Colorado goal by killing an extensive 5-on-3 before the midway point of the period.
Shortly after, with the Rage now on the man-advantage, Polaski chipped a puck off the boards in the neutral zone where Nelson picked it up and broke into the offensive zone before lashing a shot top-shelf for a 2-0 lead at 12:27. Nelson led the Eagles last season with four short-handed goals. Jarred Mohr got the Rage on the board with a 5-on-3 goal at 17:27 when his shot from high in the left circle was deflected top shelf on Cey.
Rocky Mountain tied the game at 2 after David Morelli won a battle behind the Colorado net and sent a pass into the low slot where Nathan O'Nabigon beat Cey with a quick shot at 5:41 of the second period. But just over a minute and a half later, Tobler answered for the Eagles as he circled around the back of the net and sent a backhand pass through the crease to McGrane for an easy tap-in and a 3-2 lead.
The final frame saw both teams exchange power-play goals - Simon Watson for the Rage and Knight for the Eagles - but was highlighted by a pretty goal set-up by Ulanski and scored by Nelson at 9:38. Jankus scored an extra insurance goal with just under 13 seconds left on the clock as he was hauled down in the crease in front of an empty Rage net.
The Eagles will close out their preseason schedule with their second and final game on Saturday, October 11 against the expansion Rapid City Rush. It will be the defending Northern Conference champs' first look at the team they will face more than any other in the 2008-09 season.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 8, 2008
- Borsheim Presented with $100,000 Check At Benefit Game - Colorado Eagles
- Rage-Eagles Tilt Raises Funds for Les Borsheim - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Thunder Comeback Dashed in Shootout - Wichita Thunder
- Mudbugs Announce Host Hotel and Radio Partners - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Bucks Host Bees Thursday In Pre-Season, $5 Tickets - Laredo Bucks
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