CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Boil 'Bugs, Win 5-2

December 8, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - Marco Emond saved 48 shots and Ed McGrane had a four-point night in leading the Colorado Eagles past the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, 5-2. Emond's 48 saves set a Colorado high for the season and rank second in franchise history for most saves in a game, and McGrane scored his first goal since November 17 (a stretch of seven games). The two teams came into the game with identical records at 10-6-3.

Befitting their records, the Eagles and Mudbugs played an even first period, with each team getting a goal on their 12 shots. Bossier-Shreveport struck first when Dale Lupul's shot from the top of the right circle changed directions in front and beat Emond at 5:53. The Eagles countered with their goal at 14:03. Seth Leonard skated into the Mudbugs' zone and pulled up at the top of the right circle before sliding a pass to Riley Nelson who shot from the hashes. The rebound came to a pinching Aaron Schneekloth at the left of the net and he deposited the chance for his 12th goal of the season. The play extended point streaks for both Nelson (seven games) and Schneekloth (five games).

McGrane helped power the Eagles to a two goal lead in the second with two goals and an assist, registering a point in all three Colorado goals in the period. The most spectacular goal came at 3:17 when Scott Polaski flipped a back-hand pass from the right wing circle in his own zone to McGrane at the opposite blue line; McGrane broke in and beat John DeCaro with a back-hand-forehand move. The Mudbugs got one back at 10:15 on another nice play. Justin Aikins and Elias Godoy broke in on a 2-on-1 and Aikins feathered a pass over a sliding Brad Williamson to Godoy who threw it past Emond. Colorado re-gained the lead at 14:13, skating 4-on-4. Greg Pankewicz won a draw in the left circle back to Brett Thurston who threw the puck on net. The puck hit McGrane and went just wide, but banged off the boards to Pankewicz who put a low-angle shot on net. DeCaro stopped it somehow, but as he was falling backward, he knocked it just over the line. The Eagles went up 4-2 at 18:36 with a power play goal when Polaski and McGrane connected again; Polaski hit McGrane cutting through the crease with a pass from behind the net, and McGrane beat DeCaro stick side.

Emond -- who had already made some stellar saves throughout the game -- turned it up another notch in the third as the Mudbugs threw 24 shot his way. But the netminder stopped them all and Paul Esdale added an insurance goal on the power play with 41 seconds left to help solidify the win. McGrane sent a pass from the goal line to Esdale at the top of the circles. Esdale then passed the puck back and forth with Williamson before beating DeCaro with a shot from the point.

The Eagles will travel to the CenturyTel Center for a rematch with the Mudbugs next Friday. The game is the first of a two-game road trip; the second game is Saturday night in Mississippi.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2007


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