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CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Open Exhibition Slate With 5-2 Win Over Rage

October 13, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Broomfield, Colo. - The defending President's Cup champion Colorado Eagles "officially" dropped the puck for the first time in the 2007-08 season tonight with their first of two exhibition games against their in-state rival, the Rocky Mountain Rage. The teams will play again tomorrow at the Budweiser Events Center in the second game of the home-and-home exhibition series.

Skating in their new "retro" jerseys (red with black and gold trim), the Eagles looked a lot like the rival Rage in uniform only as the defending champs showed why they will soon have championship rings. The Rage themselves barely looked like the same team; after their inaugural season ended with a disappointing 17-40-7 record, the Rage cleaned house by purging their roster of all but four players. Returning from last year's team are Clay Plume, Chip Dunleavy, Nathan Rosychuk and Trevor Weisgerber.

Ryan Tobler got the scoring started -- after being on the better side of a big hit behind the Rage net -- on a wrap-around goal 1:49 into the first period while both teams skated four-on-four; Ed McGrane got the only assist. The Rage evened up the game when a quick line change developed into a two-on-one and Simon Watson pushed the rebound into an empty net behind Clayton Pool. But at 10:54 in, McGrane put the Eagles back on top, notching another point with a 40-foot shot from above the right point, with assists on the play going to Dave Iannazzo and Tobler.

At 7:56 into the second, Rocky Mountain tied the game at two when Daymen Rycroft scored after Pool kicked a Ben Manny rebound back into the slot. Justin Schmit got the second assist. Ian Keserich replaced Pool in the Eagles' net about halfway through the second. With one minute left in the second, Rage goalie Scott Reid stopped Paul Esdale on a breakaway after Esdale exited the penalty box.

At 3:14 into the third, Iannazzo, standing wide open in the middle of the slot, converted a Tobler pass from behind the goal into an Eagles lead. About two minutes later, Seth Leonard's shot from nearly the same spot gave the Eagles some breathing room (Fraser Filipic and Scott Polaski got the assists). After the ensuing faceoff, Tobler and the Rage's Chris Shaw dropped the gloves. Each took their turn throwing huge hooks before Tobler landed a couple solid ones and Shaw went down. The game got even more heated when, with about seven minutes left, Reid took a swipe at Iannazzo who was crashing the net; the goalie received an interference penalty for his efforts. With : 44.9 seconds left, Mike Lukajic scored into an empty net on assists from Jason Beatty and Tyson Terry.

Clayton Pool finished the game with 16 saves on 18 shots. Ian Keserich stopped all 26 shots he faced.

The Three Stars were: Ryan Tobler (1), Ed McGrane (2) and Ben Manny (3).

The Eagles played without Chris Hartsburg, Riley Nelson, Aaron Schneekloth, Erik Adams and Greg Pankewicz.

The Rage played without Clay Plume, Nick Harloff, Brent Cullaton, Nathan Rosychuk and Jozef Budaj.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2007


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