Bridges Wins Second Game in a Row, Stops 36 of 37
December 31, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
VALLEY CENTER, Kan. - Bryan Bridges got his second start in a row and helped the Eagles shut down Wichita's power play in route to a 2-1 victory. After stopping 26 of 27 shots against Oklahoma City on Saturday, Bridges stopped 36 of 37, and the Thunder went 0-10 with the extra man (including three 5-on-3 opportunities) as Les Borsheim and Steve Haddon provided enough offense for the Eagles to win the scrappy game.
The Eagles spent most of the first half of the period on the penalty kill, but Bridges was strong in net and Colorado's penalty killers went 5-5 to keep the Thunder off the scoreboard in the opening frame. Les Borsheim got the period's only goal at 12:55 after a Jon Horrell kick-save stopped his first attempt from in front of the net. Things heated up with just under two minutes to play when Wichita's Kyle Bruce hit Fraser Filipic into the boards from behind. Ed McGrane came to Filipic's aid by confronting Bruce, and then Filipic joined the two-some -- getting himself a game-misconduct penalty in the process. Wichita's Dominic D'Amour then went after Filipic and earned a game misconduct of his own. After everything was straightened out, the Eagles ended up on the power play, but were unable to add on before the period came to a close despite a few quality chances.
The second period's results were nearly identical to the first's. Wichita got the only goal of the period -- an early tally, just 1:03 in -- when Daniel Tetrault banged a rebound past Bridges from in front of the net. Both goaltenders were solid in the second (Horrell stopping 14 shots, Bridges stopping 9) in helping to keep the other team's power play from converting. And just like in the first, Bruce started a scuffle with under two minutes remaining. The right-winger collided with Bridges well after the whistle and Scott Polaski came to his goaltender's aid; both Bruce and Polaski received roughing minors.
Wichita dominated the third, out-shooting Colorado 17-5, but the only goal came 1:58 in, when Haddon back-handed a goal off the crossbar; Haddon was initially credited with the first goal of the game, but it eventually went to Borsheim. The third period also had it's own fight as Mike Lukajic -- re-signed with Greg Pankewicz out of the game -- taking on Mike Batovanja, but Bridges was solid again during the ensuing penalty kill as the Eagles once more held the Thunder's power play power-less, and Colorado held on for the win in the first of their four-game road trip.
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