CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Beat Gorillas in Historic Win

March 14, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Amarillo Gorillas 9-0 in the biggest blowout in franchise history. Eight different players had multi-point nights, with four registering a plus-five rating, and Morgan Cey and a strong team-wide defensive game combined to provide the team's largest margin of victory ever. Cey stopped 39 of 39 shots for the 27th regular season shutout in Eagles history and Greg Pankewicz registered the 24th hat trick.

The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Kevin Ulanski and Riley Nelson. Nelson helped create the first score at 8:19 by chipping the puck past a Gorillas defenseman at the right point in the Eagles' zone and rushing down the left wing on a 2-on-1 with Ulanski. Ulanski fired home his 23rd goal of the season with a one-timer from high in the right circle. Amarillo had their chances to negate Colorado's lead minutes later, but Cey made a series of stellar saves to keep the Gorillas off the scoreboard and set the tone for the night.

Then, at 15:58, Ulanski and Nelson teamed up again after Ryan Tobler entered the offensive zone along the right wing, stickhandled around a defenseman and dropped a pass to Ulanski in the right circle. The first-year Eagle then sent a pass right onto the tape of Nelson skating through the low slot and the veteran center deftly deflected the puck inside the left post. The tally gave Nelson a six-game goal scoring streak -- the second-longest in team history.

Colorado kept up the scoring in the second and Cey continued to provide timely saves to take a 5-0 lead into the second intermission. Nelson got his second goal of the game -- and the 200th of his Eagles career -- at 5:24 after he stole the puck just inside the blue line at the left point, sent a pass to Ulanski on the midboards and deposited the return feed into the top right corner of the net.

Pankewicz made it 4-0 at 7:11 when he skated down the right wing, wound up and sent a low slapshot past Gorman. Ed McGrane picked up the primary assist on the score, extending his point-streak to 16 games (tied for the fourth-longest in team history) and moving him into sole possession of fourth place on the team's all-time scoring list (past Brad Williamson). Pankewicz got his second goal in a row at 12:53 after Konrad Reeder circled the entire offensive zone and sent a pass to the Eagles' captain in front of the net for a deflection past the Gorillas' goaltender.

Pankewicz completed the natural hat trick 1:37 into the final frame when he cut across the low slot from right to left and beat Gorman on the forehand. Of the two dozen hat tricks in franchise history, it was Pankewicz's 11th and his fifth this season. McGrane made it 7-0 at 3:48 after Pankewicz caused a turnover behind the Gorillas' net and Reeder picked up the puck and fed McGrane in front.

Newly-acquired defenseman Clay Thoring got his first professional goal to make it 8-0 about two and a half minutes later when his shot from the left point got by Gorman with Reeder skating through the low slot. The Amarillo netminder was severely shaken up on the play and was replaced between the pipes by A.J. Bucchino. Colorado completed their biggest win in franchise history at 12:02 when Nelson and Ulanski teamed up again for a shorthanded marker.

The Eagles will play their final regular season game at the Budweiser Events Center Sunday evening against the Oklahoma City Blazers. They will then head on the road for the final three games of the season.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 14, 2009


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