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CHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Eagles Weekly Update

December 20, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Week in Review

Tuesday, December 14; Eagles Trade Pair of Rookies For Defenseman Joe Grimaldi

WINDSOR, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles announced today that they have traded for defenseman Joe Grimaldi from the Evansville Icemen. In exchange, the Icemen will receive forward Braden Desmet and defenseman George Bradley.

Grimaldi is a 6-foot, 200-pound, right-handed shooting defenseman who spent his entire pro career prior to this season at the AHL and ECHL levels, putting up 40 points (7-33-40) in 142 games. He was even more productive during his 17 games for the Icemen this season, registering 11 points (5-6-11), 45 penalty minute and a +4 plus/minus rating.

The Ronkonkoma, NY native was a member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team in 2002-03 & 2003-04 before attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha the next two years. He also spent time with the OHL's Ottawa 67's in 2005-06 & 2006-07, putting up 57 points in 92 games.

Desmet began his professional career during last year's CHL playoffs, recording an assist in three games with the Mississippi RiverKings. In 17 games with the Eagles this season, the forward has registered eight points (1-7-8), a -2 plus/minus rating and 24 PIMs.

Like Desmet, Bradley's pro career began late last season in the CHL when he played in six games with the Allen Americans. The defenseman's rights were acquired over the summer as fulfillment of the Erik Adams trade made prior to last season. In 16 games with the Eagles, the rookie blueliner recorded one point -- his first as a pro -- a -4 plus/minus rating and 19 PIMs.

"This trade comes down to sacrificing some youth and potential to gain immediate poise and productivity," said General Manager & Head Coach Chris Stewart. "We thank Braden and George for their time here and wish them all the best in Evansville. They should both have promising professional careers."

Wednesday, December 15; Eagles Add Their Own Gritty Hanson

WINDSOR, Colo. - The Hanson Brothers of "Slap Shot" fame were portrayed as gritty, antagonistic players. The Colorado Eagles announced today that they have signed their own version of a "Hanson Brother" with the addition of defenseman Matt Hanson. Although he lacks the long hair and thick glasses, Hanson brings a feisty element to the Eagles' defensive corps.

Hanson is in his sixth season of professional hockey, with all but two of his 228 professional games coming in the CHL (the other pair coming in the ECHL). He has played 16 games this season for HK Partizan Beograd in Serbia (in a non-professional league by CHL standards), posting a point per game (4-12-16) and 74 penalty minutes.

The 5-foot-11-inch, 215-pound d-man has registered 68 points (24-44-68) and 205 PIMs in his pro career, possessing a solid, edgy skill set. He has played for several Colorado rivals: the Wichita Thunder, Youngstown SteelHounds, Tulsa Oilers, Texas Brahmas and Arizona Sundogs, meaning that Head Coach Chris Stewart is well aware of what he brings to the ice.

"We're very familiar with Matt and believe his addition will add something to our lineup that we could use a little more of. He's made a career of annoying opposing players, but does a great job knowing how to do it without neglecting his defensive responsibilities or crossing any lines," said Stewart.

Thursday, December 16; With Time Ticking, Eagles' Holiday Store Offering GREAT Specials

The Colorado Eagles Holiday Store in Fort Collins ' Foothills Mall is in a fantastic new location just inside the west entrance (next to Buckle). The store will remain open through the holiday season, with the last day of business being Dec. 31, 2010. To reach the store directly, call (970)-225-1212.

At the holiday store, you can purchase your favorite Eagles merchandise, as well as novelty items, clearance items, special team-used gear and even tickets! In addition, several sales and appearances (see details below) will be taking place throughout the holiday season. Be sure to stop by and let the Eagles help you give your loved ones the gift of hockey this year.

Special Offers:

- Starting Saturday, Dec. 18; FREE Kids Mini-Stick Giveaway (just stop by, one per person, while supplies last)

- Starting Saturday, Dec. 18; Last-Minute Gift Bundles, ranging from $35-$50 (discounted gift packages tailored for Kids, Women & Men)

- - Kids: $35 - Choice of Hat, Official Puck, Dog Tag, Slapshot Doll, & 2009-10 Team Poster

- - Women: $45 - Choice of Hat, Earrings, Tumbler, & 2009-10 Team Poster

- - Men: $50 - Choice of Hat, Wallet, Lanyard, & 2009-10 Team Poster

- Tuesday, Dec. 21; 10% OFF all Womens Apparel

Scheduled Appearances*:

- Saturday, Dec. 18; 2-3 p.m. - Player Autograph Signings (Players TBD) & 107.9 The Bear remote broadcast

- Tuesday, Dec. 21; 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Pioneer Press Colorado Eagles Chicks

- Tuesday, Dec. 21; 6:30-8 p.m. - Player Autograph Signings (Players TBD) & Slapshot

* - Players and times subject to change

Friday, December 17; Mavs Shut Down Eagles, 3-1

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Missouri Mavericks picked up their first win at the Budweiser Events Center with a 3-1 victory in the first game of a weekend set. Nick Sirota netted two tallies and Rob Nolan stopped 29 of 30 shots in the win. Colorado's only score came on a late 5-on-3 after Nolan nearly single-handedly shut them out in a separate two-man advantage midway through the final period.

The teams played a pretty even first period, each getting eight shots on net in the first period of play. The only one of those shots to reach the back of the net came at 4:17 -- Missouri's first shot of the game -- when Jared Lavender's shot from the right point was deflected in the low slot by Simon Watson, beating Andrew Penner up high.

The second period played out similar to the first, with the Mavericks out-shooting the Eagles 10-9, but Colorado actually controlled much of the play with extended periods of possession in Missouri's zone. Both netminders were sharp in the frame.

The strong goaltending continued into the third period as Penner made some magical saves early on. But the game was essentially stolen by Nolan midway into the frame when he stonewalled Kevin Ulanski twice at the left post on an Eagles 5-on-3 advantage. The Eagles spent the entire two minutes of their two-man advantage in the offensive zone, but couldn't get any of their nine shots into the net.

Sirota picked up the eventual game-winner at 15:58 when Bill Vandermeer sent him on a breakaway in which he deked Penner down from in close before snapping a sharp-angle shot into the open net. Colorado was awarded 17 seconds of another 5-on-3 chance later in the frame, and it took just 13 of them for the Eagles to finally get on the scoreboard.

Kyle Peto took a shot from high in the left circle, and Riley Nelson was able to put a second rebound into the net from the right side of the low slot at 17:54. But in the final minute, Sirota was credited with a second goal when he converted a 2-on-1, shorthanded break. The goal light never came on -- the puck struck metal and bounced immediately back into the crease -- but referee Tom Chmielewski adamantly ruled it a goal.

Saturday, December 18; Eagles Fall Short in Another Loss to Mavs

LOVELAND, Colo. - Despite a much better effort in the second game of their weekend set, the Colorado Eagles fell 4-3 to the Missouri Mavericks. In a game that featured two of the league's top goalies, it was a pair of shorthanded goals that spurred the Mavs to a victory that helped them leapfrog the Eagles in the Turner Conference standings.

For the second night in a row, the Mavericks scored the first goal of the game. At 8:18, Joe Grimaldi whiffed on a clearing pass out of his own zone, leading to a turnover that ended up on Nathan O'Nabigon's stick and in the net behind Kyle Jones. Colorado countered at 17:52 when Kyle Peto sent a power-play bomb from the point past Rob Nolan who was screened on the play.

The Mavs jumped out to a 3-1 lead 3:16 into the second period with a pair of shorthanded goals while killing the same penalty. Nick Sirota got his third goal in the weekend set at 2:20 by working a 2-on-2 with Simon Watson and snapping a shot top-shelf from low in the right circle.

Less than a minute later, Adam Chorneyko sent a backhand pass up the left wing, but none of his teammates were there, and it sent Sirota on an odd-man rush the other way with Mike Berry. Sirota sent the puck to Berry in the left circle and his shot deflected off the lone defenseman's stick, and then the goaltender's stick, before entering the net.

But at 11:17, the Eagles got back into the game after a turnover to Riley Nelson at the right midboards in the offensive zone. Nelson sent a cross-ice pass to Mike Sgroi, who found Dylan Stanley alone on the doorstep to cut Missouri's lead to 3-2 (the assist was Sgroi's first point with the Eagles).

And less than a minute later, the first-point-as-an-Eagle theme continued as the home squad tied the game. Grimaldi, the team's newly-acquired defenseman, blasted the puck from the right point and the rebound came out to A.J. Hau low in the right circle. The Fort Collins native then picked up his first professional point by backhanding the puck into the net to make it 3-3 (the assist was Grimaldi's first point with the team).

The Eagles controlled most of the play in the third period -- out-shooting Missouri 15-6 -- but couldn't get a bounce to go their way. In the first minute of the final frame, Nelson sent a power-play shot off the left goalpost, and moments later, Peto had a shot go off of Nolan's stick and just wide.

And just like Friday night, the Mavs' netminder 'stood on his head' midway through the third period while the Eagles worked another power play, snuffing several Colorado chances. Thirteen minutes in, he continued to steal the game when he made a sliding save from his right to his left, denying Daymen Rycroft point-blank off a great saucer-pass feed from Scott May.

After Nolan's stellar stop, play moved to the other end of the ice where Jones made a great save of his own, only to have Ryan Jardine's pass attempt off the rebound deflect in off an Eagle. The bad bounces continued for Colorado until the final minutes when a Rycroft shot beat Nolan and spun like a top on its edge on the goal line before a diving defenseman cleared it out of the crease.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Dec. 22; Eagles Look For Win Against 'Dogs

Colorado will look to enter the CHL's holiday break on a high note with a win against the Arizona Sundogs. Colorado is 1-1 so far this season against the 'Dogs and this will mark the third of nine total meetings between the teams -- second only to the 12 the Eagles will play against Rapid City. All-time, Colorado is 12-3-0 against Arizona at the BEC.

Sunday, Dec. 26; Eagles, Rush Renew Rivalry

The Eagles will travel to Rapid City the day after Christmas for another bout with the first-place Rush. The two teams have already squared-off six times this season (Colorado is 5-1-0), with Sunday's game the first of two in a row between the rivals. Once the calendar turns, the Eagles and Rush will play just four more times in the season's final three months.

Notable Numbers

PROOF OF PARITY - Missouri's weekend sweep of the Eagles dropped Colorado into third place in the Turner Conference, four points behind the first-place Rush. The Turner Conference is especially tight, with eight of the nine teams within 11 points of each other; the last-place Komets are 10 points removed from the pack. The Berry Conference is a little more spread out, with 13 points separating the top eight teams and the ninth team just three points out.

COACHING DECISION - With the Rapid City Rush adopting the All-Star format introduced to the league by the Eagles a couple years ago (host team vs. All-Stars), the All-Star squad will have co-coaches -- one from each conference. The coaching tandem will be made up of the coach from each conference with the highest winning percentage at the holiday break (Dec. 24). Allen's Dwight Mullins has already claimed the top spot from the Berry Conference, with three coaches still in the running for the Turner Conference's top winning percentage. Missouri's Scott Hillman, Bloomington's Jason Christie and Colorado's Chris Stewart; it would be Stewart's fifth CHL All-Star coaching gig in 10 seasons as a bench boss (1999, 2005, 2006 & 2007).

GROWING PAINS - The combination of greater parity throughout the league and an unusually young roster has the Eagles experiencing some rare growing pains. Their three game winless streak at home matches the longest in team history, and a fourth loss -- in regulation or overtime -- would match the franchise's longest, period (home or away). In over seven seasons, the Eagles have never gone more than four games without a win...truly impressive in its own right.

THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS COMBINED - The Eagles might be especially thankful that Christmas falls on a Saturday this season, with the CHL's mandated vacation period meaning they can't play a game that day. Colorado is 3-5-1 on Saturday's this year, matching their franchise high for Saturday losses in a single season already!

HOT DOGS - Wednesday is $1 Dog night at the Budweiser Events Center, and as coincidence would have it, the Arizona Sundogs come to town, having put together a 5-1 record before losing back-to-back to the Rush last weekend -- making them 5-3-0 in their past eight. The Eagles will look to get a pre-Christmas present by ending their modest losing streak, and history will be on their side. All-time Colorado has a record of 12-3-0 at the BEC against the Sundogs.

TRUE LEADER - Captain Riley Nelson is the franchise's all-time leader in points, and tied for the team lead this season with 28. He's also the team's points leader in the all-time series against the Sundogs, posting 45 points (15-30-45) in 26 games -- a 1.7 points-per-game average.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2010


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