CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Get Revenge Vs. Rage, Gain Back Ground

Published on February 13, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles beat the Rocky Mountain Rage 6-3, one night after losing to their in-state rival in Broomfield. The Eagles now trail the Rage by just five points in the Northwest Division. Bryan Bridges got the start in net for Colorado for the first time since January 29; swapping with Sebastien Laplante who started the previous night's game. Riley Nelson powered the Eagles with two goals (one on a penalty shot) and an assist, and Colorado added two empty-netters for the final margin.

The Eagles dominated the first period - holding a decided edge in pressure and out-shooting the Rage 18-6 at one point - but couldn't figure out Scott Reid in the Rage net. Reid stonewalled Colorado on two power plays in the first and also did some work on the penalty kill just a few minutes into the game, stopping Seth Leonard from between the hashes on a dish from Steve Haddon in the left corner.

It only took 66 seconds for the Eagles to get a goal in the second period, however, after Greg Pankewicz back-handed a soft pass from the left-wing boards to Kris Wiebe who beat the Rage goaltender from the left circle. Jay Birnie made it 2-0 with a back-hand shot at 3:02 when Haddon sent a pass from behind the net to Birnie cutting through the crease. But the Rage answered just 18 seconds later when Simon Watson slipped a chance through Bridges and across the line just before Ed McGrane could sweep it out of harm's way. Just over a minute later, Leonard got the period's second assist from behind the net when Riley Nelson one-timed his pass into the cage from below the right-wing circle. Rocky Mountain kept their deficit at just two goals by killing an extensive 5-on-3 chance for Colorado midway through the period.

The Rage cut the Eagles' lead to 3-2 at 6:49 of the third when Daymen Rycroft tried (unsuccessfully) to stuff the puck past Bridges' left pad and Trevor Weisgerber flipped in the rebound. Nelson restored Colorado's two-goal cushion when he drew a penalty shot while on the penalty kill at 8:30. The Eagles forward faked a forehand shot to freeze Reid and then threw a back-hander over the goalie's left leg for the first successful regular season penalty shot - and only the second successful try overall (Ryan Tobler scored in last season's playoffs) - in team history. Reid was tossed after the goal, putting Terry Dunbar between the pipes for Rocky Mountain.

Rycroft, the league's leading goal scorer, got his 38th on the power play at 9:53 when he went top-shelf on Bridges from low in the left-wing circle. Dunbar was tested shortly after when the Eagles had yet another 5-on-3 power play, but again failed to score. The contest remained 4-3 until the final minute when Colorado added two empty-net goals (one by Leonard with 47 seconds left and another by Kris Wiebe with 8.3 left on the clock).

The Eagles now head on the road for a three game road trip that starts on Friday in Wichita; it will be the first game against the Thunder for both Laplante and Wiebe since they were traded to Colorado near the end of January.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 13, 2008


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