CHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Beats Amarillo for Second Night in a Row

Published on November 24, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles beat the Amarillo Gorillas for the second night in a row at the Budweiser Events Center, this time, 5-3. The Eagles were able to kill all nine Gorillas power play chances, and rookie netminder Ian Keserich took a shutout into the third period, keeping Colorado just seven points behind division-leading Rocky Mountain.

Ed McGrane and Greg Pankewicz extended their point streaks (six games each), when they connected on the power play at 7:06. McGrane, skating at the top of the right circle, threw a pass to the Eagles captain in the slot. Pankewicz collected the puck and threw a shot against the grain -- with his back to the net -- and past Dan McWhinney for a 1-0 lead. Brad Williamson got the second assist on the play.

The second period gave Seth Leonard a chance to extend his point streak to nine games, as the Eagles went up 2-0 at 5:53. McGrane sent Scott Polaski in on a breakaway, but McWhinney poke-checked the puck off his stick before he could get the shot off; Leonard skated in and put the rebound top shelf. Colorado got their second power play goal of the night later in the period when Paul Esdale scored on a shot from the right circle. It was his second goal in as many nights, and his second with the Eagles. Pankewicz and Brad Williamson earned the assists.

Amarillo cut the Colorado lead to 3-2, with two goals in the first six minutes of the third period. David Nimmo ruined Keserich's shutout bid when he threw a low-angle shot on net from about five feet to the goaltender's right. The puck appeared to pin-ball between his leg pads and in. Less than two minutes later, Jason Chafe got his second goal in as many nights with a shot from just inside the blue line that squeaked between Kesrich's left arm and his body.

But the Eagles answered back with two goals of their own. At 7:30, Riley Nelson picked up a loose puck in the left circle and slid a quick pass to Leonard in the slot to make it 4-2 (Pankewicz got his second assist of the night). Mike Lukajic closed out the scoring with his third goal in three games this season, when Nimmo spun from behind his own goal line and threw a blind clearing pass up the middle of the ice. Lukajic just happened to be there and the puck ended up on his tape at the top of the left circle. He then unleashed his NHL-caliber wrist shot top shelf for the final tally. The Eagles closed their seven-game home stand with a 5-2-0 record, and now head on the road for three games.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 24, 2007


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