CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Fall in First of Back-to-Backs With Rage

February 12, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


BROOMFIELD, Colo. - In a contest befitting the top two teams in the Northwest Division, the Rocky Mountain Rage defeated the Colorado Eagles 5-3 in a hard-hitting, ill-willed and close contest. The Eagles edged out the Rage with 41 shots to 40, but failed to score on seven power play chances while the Rage added an empty-net goal on the power play to put the game away.

In a period full of power-play opportunities - the first came just nine seconds in for Rocky Mountain - the Rage were the only ones to score. The Eagles squandered four power play chances in the opening period, including two 5-on-3 opportunities, and never really seemed to click. Colt King finally scored for the Rage on their third and final man-advantage chance of the period when Ladislav Kouba hit him with a pass at 18:23. Kouba, stationed below the left faceoff circle, found King wide open low in the opposite circle for the game's first goal.

Rocky Mountain received three more power plays in the second period, with the first Eagles penalty being issued before the period started as Fraser Filipic was called for delay of game at the end of the first. Sebastien Laplante kept the game close as he stopped a 2-on-0 short-handed breakaway five minutes in, but Chip Dunleavy beat the Eagles goaltender on a 2-on-1 at the 5:41 mark when he snapped a shot over Laplante's right shoulder from the left-wing circle. Colorado's penalty killers submitted a solid effort, successfully killing a five minute penalty midway through the period - included in which were two minutes of 5-on-3 play. But at 17:13, the Rage went up 3-0 when Nathan Rosychuk was able to fight through an Eagles defenseman in front of the net and sweep a weak shot under Laplante and just over the goal line.

The Eagles came back, scoring three goals in the third, but the Rage had two of their own. Colorado scored at 2:08 when Dave Iannazzo floated a pass toward the crease out of the left-wing corner. Seth Leonard swatted it out of the air and Reid made the initial save before Riley Nelson was able to poke it home. The Rage countered with their second of three power play goals on the night under two minutes later. Simon Watson took a shot from between the circles and Laplante kicked the puck to his right, but right onto the stick of Scott Wray who threw it into the empty net. The Eagles got their second goal at 8:10 when Brad Williamson's shot was deflected in front by Filipic and the rebound went right to Steve Haddon who tossed the puck behind Reid. Colorado had a chance to diminish the deficit with back-to-back power plays midway through the period, but failed to take advantage as they had all night.

Despite the missed opportunities, Les Borsheim made it a one goal game at 15:14 when four players collided at the lip of the Rocky Mountain crease before the bruising forward chipped the puck over the Rage netminder. And with just over three minutes left, Kris Wiebe split the Rage defense entering the offensive zone and used a power move to get behind the last defender before ringing a shot off the post. The game was all but over when the 5-foot-8-inch Iannazzo was called for elbowing with 2:33 left, putting Rocky Mountain on their final power play of the night, and Watson added an empty-net goal with 38.6 seconds remainng as the Eagles pulled out all the stops in a last-ditch effort to tie the game.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2008


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