CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Advance to Finals for Third Time in Four Years

Published on April 23, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles earned a chance to defend their President's Cup championship with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Brahmas in Game Seven of the Northern Conference Finals. It will be the Eagles' third trip to the President's Cup Finals in four years, and a successful defense would mean a third championship in the franchise's first five seasons. Their opponent from the Southern Conference will be the winner of the Laredo/Arizona series.

The Eagles took the first period, getting the all-important first goal on the way to a 2-0 lead. Colorado was undefeated in the playoffs coming into the game when scoring the first goal of the game (7-0); furthermore, each game of the series had been won by the team that notched the opening tally. Fraser Filipic - inserted into Greg Pankewicz's spot on the first line - made his presence felt early when he gave support to Ed McGrane behind the Brahmas' net before sending a pass to Seth Leonard in the left circle. Leonard then roofed a shot past Brett Jaeger at 6:29. Sebastien Laplante was stellar in net, coming up with numerous big saves - many on the penalty kill. Colorado extended their lead to two at 12:27 when Ryan Tobler won a faceoff in the right circle, then got a nudge-pass from Riley Nelson before turning and beating Jaeger from the faceoff dot.

Colorado chased Jaeger from the Texas net when Scott Polaski made it 3-0 just 3:31 into the second. Filipic got his second assist of the game on the play when he sent a pass off the right side of the net to Polaski for his team-leading fourth goal of the series. David Cacciola took over in net after Jaeger stopped just 12 of 15 shots. The Brahmas finally got on the scoreboard at 6:06 with a goal 4-on-4 when Jordan Cameron's pass from behind the net found Justin Kinnunen between the hashes. Scott Sheppard cut the Eagles' lead to 3-2 (with his team-leading seventh goal of the series) on a power-play tally at 17:01 when he backhanded in a goal from the doorstep.

Both goaltenders made incredible saves in the first five minutes of the third period to keep the score the same. And despite Texas' strong effort in the third, the Eagles had multiple chances at expanding their lead, but just missed. Nelson rang a shot off the post behind Cacciola 14 minutes in with a clear shot from the middle of the slot and Polaski rang one off the post with a minute left in the game (his chance at an empty net 15 seconds later slid just wide). But Colorado's defense hung on in the waning minutes of the game, boosted by the 5,289 in attendance on their feet for the final few minutes (the 192 consecutive sellout at the Budweiser Events Center, including playoffs).

The Eagles will wait for the conclusion of the Southern Conference Finals between the Laredo Bucks and the Arizona Sundogs before they know who their opponent in the Finals will be.

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Central Hockey League Stories from April 23, 2008


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