Sports stats



CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Begin Defense of Cup With 6-4 Playoff Win

March 28, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Youngstown SteelHounds 6-4 in Game One of the Northern Conference Semi-Finals. The Eagles are now 4-0 against the 'Hounds in the playoffs at home after going 3-0 against them in last season's opening playoff round. Despite a 12-7 disadvantage in power-play opportunities, the Eagles got contributions from the entire roster - something so important in playoff hockey - on the way to their first victory of the 2008 playoffs. With the win, Colorado is now 7-4 all-time in opening games of playoff series.

Colorado doubled up Youngstown in shots and on the scoreboard after one as the Eagles entered the locker room with a 2-1 lead on 16 shots. Captain Greg Pankewicz got Colorado on the board first with a power play goal 5:12 in. Ed McGrane was stopped by the right pad of Andy Franck, but picked up his own rebound in stride and wrapped around the net before feeding Pankewicz at the right lip of the crease. Youngstown answered with a power-play tally of their own just over a minute later on a tic-tac-toe play. Bryan Lachapelle sent a Chris Richards' rebound from the left corner to Steve Birnstill just inside the left circle near the hashes. But at 13:34, Pankewicz and McGrane hooked up again to put Colorado back in the lead. Pankewicz sent a pass from deep along the right-wing boards across the ice to McGrane who was streaking to the far side of the net for a pretty tap-in goal.

The SteelHounds came back with three goals in the second period before a pivotal time out called by Chris Stewart turned the momentum in favor of the Eagles. Brad Patterson made it 2-2 at 11:20 when he beat Sebastien Laplante high on the glove side off of an odd-man rush. Eric Przepiorka then put the 'Hounds in front with a power play goal at 13:49. The puck was lying just outside the reach of Laplante to the right of the crease before Przepiorka battled through the scrum and chipped it in. Then 15 and a half in, Franck stoned Pankewicz on a breakaway and after the play went the other way, Lachapelle scored through a screen from the left circle. Eagles Head Coach Chris Stewart then called a timeout to calm down his team.

It took only 42 seconds for Colorado to respond with a goal. Riley Nelson sent a pass from below the goal line to the left of the Youngstown net to Ryan Tobler skating through the slot for a one-timer, power-play goal. Then just 39 seconds after that, the Eagles tied it up at 4 after Seth Leonard skated the puck up the right-wing boards, stopped abruptly inside the offensive zone and sent a pass to McGrane skating down the middle of the ice. McGrane snapped the disc past Franck for his second goal of the game.

The Eagles carried the post-timeout momentum into the third, scoring two goals to take the win. Leonard got the game-winner at 12:36 when his shot from in low deflected off of Nathan Schwartzbauer and fluttered past the All-Star goalie. Colorado scored again to put the game away at 16:01 when Les Borsheim fought through a check at the Youngstown blue line, and got behind the SteelHounds defender before sweeping a shot by Franck from the right circle while being hauled to the ice.

Colorado will look to take a 2-0 series lead when the teams meet again Saturday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05, but the Eagles will host a block party at the Budweiser Events Center (weather permitting) from 5:00-6 p.m. Check the Eagles web site for details of special deals and prizes scheduled for the block party.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Central Hockey League message board...

Central Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central