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CHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Eagles Week In Review

February 15, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Week in Review

Tuesday, February 9; Eagles Take Another 1-Goal Game Vs. Oilers

TULSA, Okla. - The Colorado Eagles improved to 3-0 against the Tulsa Oilers this season with a 4-3 win at the Bank of Oklahoma Center. All three victories have come by one goal, and all three have come in the Oilers' new arena. Ryan Tobler scored a pair of goals for Colorado and Andrew Penner set a new franchise win mark (44) with the victory between the pipes.

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission with goals from Adam Hogg (7:19) and Ryan Tobler (8:36). Hogg got the game's first goal when he took a Steve Haddon pass and stuffed it into the net from the doorstep. Tobler doubled Colorado's lead less than a minute and a half later when he took a Riley Nelson feed and blew a shot by Trevor Cann from the high slot. Both teams went 0-2 on the power play in the opening frame.

Jake Riddle cut Colorado's lead in half with a second period goal at 14:11 when he corralled a Travis Banga rebound near the inside left hashmarks and swept a shot high past the Eagles' goalie. Shots were 18-17 in favor of the Eagles after two periods of play.

The teams traded power-play goals during the first two minutes of the third period, with Tobler scoring again from the slot just six seconds in -- setting a new franchise record for fastest goal in a period. Dan Riedel countered at 1:44 when he whacked the puck out of mid-air as it popped out of Penner's glove.

Ed McGrane got the game-winner at 5:23 with another power-play tally when he picked up a Jim Jackson rebound in the slot and put it home. The Oilers would not go quietly, however, and Marty Standish made it a 1-goal game once more, just over two minutes later, by beating Penner from the right circle on the rush. Cann made a pair of great saves on the penalty kill midway through the period to keep it close, but Tulsa couldn't score another goal before the clock hit zeros.

Wednesday, February 10; Fast Start Leads to Strong Finish

WICHITA, Kan. - The Colorado Eagles' strong start in their 6-3 win against the Wichita Thunder helped them end their seven-game road trip with 10 of a possible 14 points. The victory also moved the Eagles back into a first-place tie with the Rapid City Rush in the Northern Conference (both have 65 points).

The Eagles wasted little time, building a 3-0 lead before the Thunder had even registered a shot. Kevin Ulanski added to his league-leading point total with a goal just 50 seconds in off a feed from below the goal line from Ryan Tobler.

Jay Birnie then made it 2-0, 2:26 in, after he forced a turnover at the defensive blue line and raced down the middle of the rink on a breakaway before beating Scott Campbell from between the circles. Aaron Schneekloth then chased Campbell 45 seconds later when he threw the puck on net and it found its way in after a faceoff win in the left circle.

Former Eagle Ian Keserich took over between the pipes for the Thunder and stopped two of three shots the rest of the period. The one that got by him came at 17:01 when Ulanski sprung Riley Nelson on a shorthanded break down the right wing, and the Eagles captain converted to make it 4-0.

The Thunder put up a much better effort in the second period, but not before Brett Lutes could make it 5-0 for the Eagles with their 15th shot of the contest. At 5:21, Ryan McLeod sent a pass from the right circle to his linemate in the slot and Lutes' shot tipped off of Keserich's blocker and into the net.

But Wichita would go on to score the next two goals in the period on the way to out-shooting Colorado 13-9 despite the Eagles having a 4-1 edge in power plays. Brett Beauchamp got the home team on the board at 7:42 when his shot from the left point made it past Mike Mole just four seconds after a Thunder power play had expired. Then, at 13:36, Neil Clark was able to deflect a Mark Adamek point shot from the low slot past the Eagles' goalie to make it 5-2.

The Thunder kept making noise as they trimmed the Eagles' lead to 5-3 just under four minutes into the final frame. Clark sent a saucer pass from the right midboards to Paul Kelly coasting backward through the slot. He was able to draw the puck in on his backhand and then flip it past Mole from the doorstep.

But that was all Wichita would score and Steve Haddon added a sixth goal for Colorado midway through the period for the team's second shorthanded tally of the night. On the play, Haddon and Ed McGrane worked a give-and-go through the offensive zone before Haddon beat Keserich from the doorstep with some nice stickwork.

Wednesday, February 10; Friday Night is Mardi Gras Night

Mardi Gras - or "Fat Tuesday" - is not until Feb. 16th in New Orleans. But here in Eagles Country, we're getting the party started even earlier with "Mardi Gras Night" at the Budweiser Events Center this Friday, February 12th, when the Eagles take on the Arizona Sundogs.

We'll help you kick off the night with the musical styling of the Fort Collins-based band, the Poudre River Irregulars, who will be filling the lobby with their traditional New Orleans Jazz and Swing Music.

The evening will be littered with Mardi Gras themed promotions and trivia, as well as the chance to catch special strands of beads that can be redeemed for prizes. Get into the spirit with Ovations' "Mardi Gras Menu" and Eagles Beer Mug specials*.

As if that is not enough, the Eye Center of Northern Colorado is proud to bring you world-famous contortionist Lilia Stepanova during the first intermission. The second intermission will feature a Mardi Gras-style, on-ice, dice game.

Mardi Gras has become a carnival of sorts, so feel free to come dressed in your rendition of what Mardi Gras means to you, and simply enjoy Colorado Eagles hockey with a hint of good cheer mixed in.

* - Ovations and The Eagles introduce the "Theme Night Beer Mug!" Eagles logo beer mugs can be purchased for $5 and can only be filled with draft beers purchased with special beer mug tokens (also $5 each). You must have an Eagles mug in order to purchase the tokens. The tokens and mugs can be used at any game this season, but they can only be purchased on special theme nights (12/12, 1/16, 2/12, 3/12).

Friday, February 12; Check Out the New "Game Live" Feature on Pointstreak

The Central Hockey League (CHL), in conjunction with Pointstreak, is pleased to announce the launch of GAME LIVE: a fan-friendly, interactive application that provides game scores and stats in real-time.

GAME LIVE is an online Flash application that provides fans of the Central Hockey League (CHL) with a real-time display of a games score and stats in a graphically pleasing, interactive format. There is no need to refresh your browser during live games to see updates. All goals and penalties will appear automatically as they happen.

To view GAME LIVE in action, go to our website www.centralhockeyleague.com and click on the Scores/Scoreboard link. On the Scoreboard page, you will see a GAME LIVE link beside each game that you can click on to launch the application.

We are very pleased with the new application that Pointstreak has developed, said Bob Hoffman, CHLs Director of Operations. This is a great, interactive feature for fans that will bring the game to life in a whole new way.

GAME LIVE is powered by the leagues technology and statistics partner, Pointstreak (http://www.pointstreak.com ).

Friday, February 12; Eagles Return Home, Drop Game to 'Dogs

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles fell, 4-3, to the Arizona Sundogs in their first game home after a seven-game road trip. Colorado, who was short-benched with just 14 skaters, allowed three Arizona goals on just nine shots in the second period, while the Sundogs' Doug Groenestege stopped 39 of 42 shots overall to backstop the win.

Andrew Penner -- playing in his first game at the Budweiser Events Center since Dec. 27 -- came up with several big saves in the first eight minutes of the game as the Sundogs built a 7:1 advantage in shots.

But Arizona got their eighth shot by him to open the scoring at 8:21 when Kevin Gardner chipped home a Konrad Reeder rebound with a backhander from the left side of the net. The score stayed that way until just 1:46 remained in the opening frame as Riley Nelson fed Ryan Tobler on a 2-on-1 rush to even the score.

The Sundogs made got back on top at 5:48 of the second period when Nick Biondo took a drop-pass from Reeder and snapped a shot top-shelf from high in the left circle. And just 70 seconds later, Andrew Winnik deposited another shot top-shelf form the opposite circle to make it 3-1 for the road team.

Colorado countered midway through the frame with a 4-on-4 goal when Jim Jackson took a Nelson backhand pass and beat Groenestege from the left circle. But Arizona re-took a 2-goal lead about five minutes later when Torren Delforte took advantage of a turnover in the Eagles' zone, skated toward the slot and beat Penner to make it 4-2.

The Eagles tried valiantly to come back in the third -- out-shooting Arizona 15-4 -- but couldn't convert until.9 seconds remained on the clock. Steve Haddon extended his point-streak to a career-best seven games when he was able to pound a loose puck from the left post to Aaron Scheekloth standing in the crease for a tap-in. The goal came with the teams skating five-on-five, although Colorado was officially shorthanded with an extra attacker and Penner on the bench.

Saturday, February 13; Don't Miss the February NoCo Show

Fans,

The February edition of the Colorado Eagles NoCo Hockey Show debuts Sunday on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. The half-hour monthly show enters its third season of bringing you the best in Eagles off-ice entertainment. The Voice of the Eagles, Kevin McGlue, hosts the show that gives fans an inside look at the team on and off the ice with a mix of humorous segments, behind-the-scenes features, interviews and hockey highlights.

On this month's show: a look at fatherhood in the CHL as Steve Haddon, Ed McGrane and Kevin Ulanski discuss the joys and hardships of being a father and a professional hockey player, Kevin McGlue sits down with Captain Riley Nelson to assess the first half of the 2009-10 season and the outlook on the second half, Ed McGrane puts out a fire in the second installment of "Don't Quit Your Day Job" - Fireman edition and Lauren Gardner tests some Eagles' I.Q.'s in "The Lightning Round" - '80s Edition!

Below is a full list of this month's airings:

Sunday, Feb. 14: 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15: 2:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 15: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16: 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17: 1:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19: 1:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19: 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20: 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22: 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23: 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24: 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28: 1:30 a.m.

Be sure to check your local listings for Altitude Sports & Entertainment and additional Colorado Eagles hockey coverage!

Sunday, February 14; Eagles Win Heart-Pounder, 7-6, in Shootout

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Rapid City Rush, 7-6, in a shootout to inch closer to the top spot in the Northern Conference; Rapid City now owns a three-point lead (70-67). The top two teams in the North met before a lively Valentine's Day crowd at the Budweiser Events Center for the first of four meetings this month and put on a barn-burner of a show that saw 11 different goal-scorers and four goaltenders.

A whirlwind first period saw a total of six goals and three goaltenders with the home team on top 4-2 at the intermission. Riley Nelson got the scoring spree started 5:38 in with a power-play goal. On the play, the Eagles held the zone with a series of passes along the blue line before Aaron Schneekloth pinched to the top of the left circle and fed Nelson atop the opposite circle for a one-timer.

Brendon Hodge countered 59 seconds later with a power-play tally of his own when he threw the puck on net from the point and it hit the back of the twine. And just 27 seconds later, Rich Hansen grabbed a turnover in the Rush's offensive zone and sent a pass to a wide open Derek LeBlanc in the right slot to put the Rapid City up 2-1.

Then, under a minute and a half later, Ed McGrane backhanded a loose puck from the slot past Danny Battochio for another power-play goal to tie the score at 2. Battochio followed that up with three stellar saves, but at 9:46, Kevin Ulanski took a pass from Ryan Tobler, stickhandled through the low slot and beat the Rush netminder with another backhander, chasing him from the game.

Miguel Beaudry took over between the Rapid City pipes and, coupled with some solid penalty-killing from his teammates, stifled the Eagles' offense for the next nine minutes. Ryan McLeod capped the frame's scoring -- in highlight fashion -- with 55 seconds left when he took a pass cruising through the neutral zone, stickhandled between the legs of Rod Aldoff and then deked Beaudry before beating him from in close.

The second period saw much the same as Colt King scored a power-play goal just 18 seconds in on a backdoor pass through the crease from Hansen. Scott Wray then tied the game at 4 at 2:47 after the Eagles had trouble clearing the puck and the former Rage player converted on Rapid City's fourth crack at the puck from the slot.

Five minutes in, Les Reaney had the chance to put the Rush on top with a penalty shot, but missed the net. But at 8:18, Brendan Cook made it 5-4 for the road team after a miscommunication by the Colorado defense led to a turnover that he sent past Mike Mole. At that point, it was Colorado's turn to switch netminders and Andrew Penner entered the game in relief.

The swap seemed to swing momentum when Tobler tied the game back up under a minute later with a goal from the crease. Ulanski picked up the first assist on the goal, setting a new franchise record by registering an assist in his 11th straight game. Beaudry then stiffened, stoning Tobler a few minutes later in the first of several strong saves the rest of the stanza.

Each team tallied in the third to send the game into overtime. McGrane got his second goal of the game 1:31 in when Felipe Larranaga found him between the hashes with a pass from the left point. But the Rush knotted it up again, taking advantage of another Colorado turnover at 8:14. A giveaway in the left circle of the defensive zone left two Rush players behind the Eagles' defense and Blaine Jarvis backhanded the puck 5-hole on Penner from the low slot.

After a spirited five-minute overtime couldn't decide the game, the two clubs took part in a shootout that saw Beaudry beaten by all three Eagles shooters. Penner stopped three of four to claim the game's second point and close the gap for first place in the Northern Conference.

The two teams will meet again on Tuesday night in Rapid City.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, February 16; Eagles, Rush Battle Again Colorado will travel to Rapid City for the second game in a row -- and the second meeting of four this month -- against the Rush. Rapid City enters the week with a three-point lead over the Eagles in the Northern Conference. Colorado is 2-1-0 so far this season in South Dakota, in a season series that has seen the teams alternate wins. After Tuesday, the two final regular season match-ups between the teams will come on the 27th (in Rapid City) and the 28th (in Loveland, the makeup date for the Dec. 26th game).

Friday, February 19 & Saturday, February 20; Mississippi Comes to Colorado for Weekend Set The RiverKings make their first and only trip to Loveland for the final two games of the season series. Colorado lost the only previous meeting this season between the two clubs when veteran Louis Dumont scored four consecutive third period goals to bring his club from behind. Mississippi enters the week in fourth place in the Northern Conference with a record of 23-20-6 (52 points), one point ahead of Tulsa. However, the RiverKings have struggled on the road, as their eight away victories are tied for the third-fewest in the CHL. They've also struggled to find consistency in net, having seven different goalies on the roster this season, none reaching double-digits in wins.

Notable Numbers

ONE FOR ME, ONE FOR YOU - Through the first seven games of the season series, the Eagles and Rush have alternated wins. Colorado will be looking to break that trend on Tuesday night after defeating Rapid City on Sunday afternoon.

SHOOTING SPREE - The Colorado-Rapid City game on Sunday afternoon was quite the offensive affair, and the 94 combined shots tied for second-most in Eagles history. Colorado and its opponent had combined for 94 shots two other times, with one of them also coming in a home match-up against the Rush on March 7, 2009. The club record for most combined shots in a game is 102 (a shootout vs. Odessa on 10/22/05). Colorado's 49 shots matched their season high, also reached in a regulation game against Amarillo on January 23rd.

SHOOTOUT SUCCESS - The Eagles are 3-2 in shootouts this season, and their.455 shooting percentage is second in the league. On Sunday afternoon, all three of the Eagles' shooters (Riley Nelson, Kevin Ulanski and Ed McGrane) beat Miguel Beaudry. McGrane has been the team's best shootout man this season, with his latest conversion pushing his season total to 80% (4-5); his lone miss came when he rang a shot off the post in Missouri. Coming into the year, McGrane had a shootout record of just 1-13 (7.7%) as an Eagle.

CHL TOP-10 - Eagles Captain Riley Nelson is one point away from becoming the CHL's 10th-highest point producer all-time. He has registered 616 points (569 with the Eagles) and is currently tied with Jonathan Dubois for 10th place on the all-time list. At his current pace, he'll finish the regular season in 8th place on the list, passing Brian Shantz (623) and Brett Seguin (624). Late last month, the Eagles' captain broke into the top 10 on the league's all-time goals list (currently with 243).

HELPING HAND - Kevin Ulanski is currently riding an 11-game point streak and has registered an assist in all 11 games (17 total). With a helper on Sunday afternoon, Ulanski surpassed Greg Pankewicz's previous record of 16 assists in a 10-game streak and can now claim the longest -- and most productive -- assist streak in team annals.

PAIR OF SKI'S - Kevin Ulanski's three-point game on Sunday also moved him past Scott Polaski and into 7th place on the Eagles' all-time points list. The second-year Eagle's 163 points trail only Riley Nelson (569), Greg Pankewicz (464), Ryan Tobler (402), Ed McGrane (320), Brad Williamson (251) and Aaron Schneekloth (207).

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics



Central Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2010


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