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CHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Eagles Weekly Update

March 28, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


(LEAGUE RELEASE - TEMPE, AZ - March 22, 2011) - The Central Hockey League announced today that Colorado's Kyle Jones has been named the Oakley Central Hockey League Goaltender of the Week for the period ending March 20, 2011. Jones also won the weekly honor back on February 8.

In recognition of his achievement, Jones will receive a special gift from Oakley. To learn more about the wide range of Oakley products, visit www.oakley.com.

Jones won four games for the Eagles in a five-day span stopping 108 of 115 shots (.939 save percentage). He allowed just seven goals in the four contests and recorded back-to-back shutouts. In fact, during the outstanding week, Jones pieced together a scoreless minute streak of 164:37 (the longest in the CHL this season). Jones' week featured a 25-save effort in a 5-0 win over Laredo and a 36-save effort in a 2-0 win at Arizona.

CHL Goaltending Leaders

On the season, the North Delta, British Columbia native is tied for the lead league with 28 wins, fourth with a 2.56 goals against average, fifth with a .918 save percentage and tied for second with four shutouts. Jones is one of the five finalists for the CHL's Most Outstanding Goaltender Award, the winner will be named on March 25.

Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week Kyle Jones, Colorado Eagles (Weekly Totals) Games Played: 4 Record: 4-0-0 Shutouts: 2 GAA: 1.75 Saves: 108 Save %: .939

Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week - - Previous Winners Oct. 19 - Trevor Cann, Tulsa Oct. 26 - Marco Emond, Bloomington Nov. 2 - Juliano Pagliero, Rio Grande Valley Nov. 9 - Torrie Jung, Laredo Nov. 16 - Matt Lundin, Evansville Nov. 23 - Levente Szuper, Arizona Nov. 30 - Michel Robinson, Odessa Dec. 7 - Levente Szuper, Arizona Dec. 14 - Ian Keserich, Tulsa Dec. 21 - Jeff Jakaitis, Dayton Dec. 28 - Jeff Harvey, Texas Jan. 4 - David Brown, Quad City Jan. 11 - Nick Boucher, Fort Wayne Jan. 18 - Chris Whitley, Allen Jan. 25 - Ian Keserich, Tulsa Feb. 1 - Danny Battochio, Rapid City Feb. 8 - Kyle Jones, Colorado Feb. 15 - Kevin Reiter, Fort Wayne Feb. 22 - Danny Battochio, Rapid City Mar. 1 - Brad Phillips, Bloomington Mar. 8 - Robby Nolan, Missouri Mar. 15 - Marc-Antoine Gelinas, Wichita Mar. 22 - Kyle Jones, Colorado

Friday, March 25; Eagles One Point Away From Turner Conference Title

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Colorado Eagles overcame a four-goal third period from the Fort Wayne Komets to take a 7-6 overtime win in the penultimate game of the regular season. With a point earned tomorrow night against the Komets, Colorado can secure the Turner Conference title and the respective #1 seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Eagles had six different goal scorers, with Aaron Schneekloth -- fresh off the IR, and playing in his first game since March 1 -- netting the game-winner.

Each team had 10 shots in the opening frame, but the Komets went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Colorado struck on their only man-advantage opportunity on the way to taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Kyle Jones -- the league's reigning Goaltender of the Week -- continued his top-tier play with several strong stops in the stanza.

The red-hot Kevin Ulanski extended his point streak to eight games at 4:43 of the first when he got the game's opening goal by putting home a Kyle Peto rebound that Kevin Reiter kicked out into the left circle. And at 10:41, the CHL's reigning Player of the Week picked up another point by finding Daymen Rycroft for a power-play bomb from the top of the right circle.

Colorado went up 3-0 at 4:17 of the second period when Kip Workman took a shot from high along the right wing boards and Reiter kicked the rebound out to a wide open Alex Penner in the low slot. Fort Wayne finally got on the board under two minutes later after they stole the puck just outside the Eagles' defensive zone and Sean O'Connor was able to beat Jones after two successive saves had the netminder down and out.

The Eagles made it 4-1 at 9:26 of the second when Adam Hogg put home a rebound from in front to make Colorado 2-for-2 on the power play. But O'Connor notched his second score of the period at 13:59 with a shot from the left faceoff dot, giving the Komets their first power-play goal of the game.

However, just 46 seconds later, Scott May got that goal back on an unassisted goal after he cruised down the middle of the ice and beat Reiter with a shot from the high slot. The puck fluttered off the netminder's glove and rolled into the net, chasing him from the game for the second time in as many meetings against the Eagles (he stopped just 16 of 21 shots in 34:45 of work).

The Komets dominated the third period, out-shooting the Eagles 16-8, and showing continued resiliency. The home team struck for three goals in the first 10:02 of the third, erasing the Eagles' lead to tie the game at 5.

At 3:47 of the third stanza, Dustin Molle took a shot from the left point that Derek Patrosso poked through the pads of Jones from the doorstep. The disc slid slowly to a stop prior to crossing the goal line before Colin Chaulk reached in to push it home. And just 21 seconds later, Artem Podshendyalov sent a cross-ice pass to Leo Thomas to trim Colorado's lead to 5-4.

Then, at 10:02, Patrosso tied the game at 6 with a shot from just inside the blue line along the right wing as he skated into the offensive zone. Colorado re-took the lead at 12:45 when May scored a power-play goal (making Colorado 3-for-4 on the night) with a one-timer off a cross-slot pass from Rycroft. But just 20 seconds later, Thomas got his second goal of the period to knot things up at 7.

The game would enter overtime where matching minors left the teams skating 3-on-3 for much of the extra session. But just four seconds after the penalties expired, Schneekloth shoveled home a shot from the low slot to net the win for Colorado.

Saturday, March 26; Komets Klip Eagles in Regular Season Finale

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - In the final game of the 2010-11 regular season for both the Fort Wayne Komets and the Colorado Eagles, the former topped the latter, 2-1. The contest was a drastic opposite from the teams' meeting the previous night when Colorado won a wide-open game 7-6 in overtime. Special teams played a large part in the difference as Colorado went 0-for-6 on the power play a night after going 3-for-4.

Tab Lardner staked the Komets out to a 2-0 lead in the first period of play. At 6:56, Kevin Ulanski fell down in the offensive zone and Frankie DeAngelis took the puck and sent Lardner on a 2-on-1 break in which the veteran forward beat Kyle Jones from the right circle.

Colorado was awarded 47 seconds worth of 5-on-3 play 15 minutes into the first frame, but after struggling to even enter the offensive zone, a shot was blocked just as Lardner was exiting the penalty box. Dan Lapointe sent Lardner on a breakaway in which be deked Jones from in close and buried a shot to make it 2-0.

The Eagles put forth a better effort in the second period and cut the Komets' lead in half at 2:27 when Steve Haddon picked up a loose puck in the right circle of the offensive zone and beat Nick Boucher with a spinning shot. Jones was strong the rest of the way, making back-to-back stops midway through the second period on a Fort Wayne odd-man rush.

Colorado continued to try and generate offense in the third period, but their power play went 0-for-3 to cap off the fruitless evening and Boucher and the Komets' defense kept them off the scoreboard to maintain the one-goal lead for the win.

Saturday, March 26; Eagles Earn 2nd Seed in Turner Conference, Will Face Quad City Mallards in Opening Round of Playoffs

LOVELAND, Colo. - With the conclusion of their regular season schedule tonight, the Colorado Eagles have earned the second seed in the Central Hockey League's Turner Conference and will face the Quad City Mallards (7th seed) in the opening round of the Ray Miron Presidents' Cup playoffs. Games 1 & 2 of the best-of-5 series between the two teams will be played in Loveland, Colo. on Friday, April 1 & Saturday, April 2 (both games at 7:05 p.m. (MST)); tickets are on sale now. The rest of the series schedule will be announced Sunday, March 27. Once official, details will be posted on www.ColoradoEagles.com.

Sunday, March 27; Eagles' Opening Round Playoff Schedule Set

WINDSOR, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles announced today the complete schedule for their opening round playoff series against the Quad City Mallards. The teams will square-off in a best-of-5 series to advance in the Central Hockey League's Ray Miron Presidents' Cup playoffs. The complete series schedule (including times) is listed below. Tickets are on sale now.

Eagles (#2 Seed) vs. Mallards (#7 Seed) Series Schedule Game 1 - QDC @ COL; Friday, April 1 (7:05 MST) Game 2 - QDC @ COL; Saturday, April 2 (7:05 MST) Game 3 - COL @ QDC; Tuesday, April 5 (6:05 MST) Game 4* - COL @ QDC; Wednesday, April 6 (6:05 MST)

Game 5* - QDC @ COL; Saturday, April 9 (7:05 MST) * - If necessary

Individual tickets for Eagles home playoff games can be purchased by visiting the Budweiser Events Center box office, calling 1-877-544-TIXX (8499) or online at www.ComcastTix.com. Special group rates are also available by calling the Eagles' office at 970-686-SHOT (7468).

*Eagles Season Ticket Holders* Please use your RED, ROUND 1 playoff tickets, located at the back of your ticket books. Since the first round of the playoffs is a best-of-five format, no more than three games can be played at the BEC; Round 1 Games 1-3 coincide with tickets for Round 1 Game A, B, & C respectively in your ticket books.

The Week Ahead

Friday, April 1 (Game 1) & Saturday, April 2 (Game 2); Eagles Open Playoffs Against Mallards Colorado will open the 2011 Ray Miron Presidents' Cup playoffs with a best-of-5 series against the Quad City Mallards. This will be the Eagles' first ever playoff meeting against the former IHL team, and the Mallards' first ever visit to the Budweiser Events Center. Colorado and Quad City faced-off three times during the regular season (Colorado going 1-2-0), with all three games being played at the i wireless Center.

Notable Numbers

MVP - After being voted by his peers as the "Best Overall Player" in the league and being named to the All-CHL Team in each of the past three seasons, Riley Nelson has finally been recognized officially as the Most Valuable Player in the CHL. Nelson finished the season fourth in the league's scoring race and led all players in plus/minus with a career-high +40. The franchise's all-time leading scorer also led the Eagles in special teams points (32) and multi-point games (30). Nelson is the second Eagle in as many seasons to win the award (Kevin Ulanski) and the third overall (Greg Pankewicz in 2004-05). SECRETS TO SUCCESS - The regular season results supplied some telling stats for the Eagles if they hope to have success in the playoffs: When Colorado gets off to a quick start and scores at least four goals, they're nearly unbeatable. When scoring the game's first goal, Colorado was 33-4-2 (the most wins of any team) along with being 23-1-1 when owning a lead after the first period (one win shy of most in the league) and 31-3-1 when leading after two periods (tied for most wins). When scoring four or more goals, the Eagles were a combined 31-2-1.

EVEN SPLIT - The Eagles finished the 2010-11 regular season with an overall record of 40-22-4. Incredibly, that record included an even split of 20-11-2 at home and away. Moreover, Colorado out-scored its opponents 125-100 at home and 125-99 on the road.

BETTER AGAINST THE BERRY - If the Eagles' regular season results are a good indicator, the Turner Conference possesses tougher competition than the Berry Conference. Despite playing four more games against Turner Conference foes, the Eagles had more wins and scored more goals against teams from the Berry Conference. Colorado went 19-14-2 within the Turner and 21-8-2 outside the conference. They out-scored Turner opponents 123-110 and Berry opponents 127-89.

LEAGUE LEADERS - Several Eagles finished within the top three of the CHL in several statistical categories. Among goalies, Kyle Jones finished 2nd in wins (29) and tied for 2nd in shutouts (4). Kevin Ulanski ranked 3rd overall in points (96) and assists (61), and 1st in game-winning goals (11). Riley Nelson and Ulanski finished 1st and 2nd respectively in plus/minus (+40 & +37). Joe Grimaldi finished 3rd overall in penalty minutes (216) and 1st in minors (68). Among defensemen, Kyle Peto finished tied for 2nd in points (54), tied for 1st in assists (46) and tied for second in power-play assists (23). Despite missing nearly half the season, Aaron Schneekloth finishes tied for 3rd among d-men in game-winning goals (3). Among rookies, Adam Chorneyko finished tied for 3rd in game-winning goals (3) and Kip Workman led all first-year defensemen in shooting percentage (.120).

BATTLE OF THE BIRDS - The Eagles and Mallards will face-off in the playoffs for the first time, as this is Quad City's first season in the CHL. The teams met three times in the regular season, with Colorado going 1-2-0 against "The Flock;" all three meetings were on the road. The Mallards out-scored the Eagles 8-5 in those contests, although Colorado out-shot Quad City 105-64. Each team went 1-for-16 (6.3%) on the power play in the season series.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2011


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