CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Soar Past the Sundogs, 8-2

November 28, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - For the second consecutive night, the Colorado Eagles defeated the Arizona Sundogs at the Tim's Toyota Center, running the Eagles' streak of wins against the 'Dogs to 11 in a row overall. Colorado got scoring contributions from up and down the lineup and Andrew Penner stopped 25 of 27 shots in improving to 7-1-1 on the season -- both Arizona goals came on the power play.

The Eagles got back to their offensive ways (after scoring just two goals Friday night), out-shooting the Sundogs 12-6 and out-scoring them 3-1 in the first period. Alex Penner got the scoring started at 6:06 after taking a feed from Jim Jackson along the right wing boards and beating JF Perras' glove hand from the low slot.

Arizona would tie the game at 1 with a power-play goal under a minute and a half later when Kevin Gardner entered the offensive zone along the right wing before cutting to the middle of the ice and snapping a shot past Penner.

But the Eagles' second line -- red hot of late -- would add two more goals in the second half of the opening frame. Brett Lutes put Colorado back on top by following his own rebound off a shot from the high slot that had dribbled out to the right of the crease. And Ed McGrane deflected a Jackson point shot with just over two minutes left in the period to make it 3-1.

Colorado added another three goals in the second period to blow the game open and Penner continued to make key saves in net for the Eagles. Steve Haddon made it 4-1 at 5:42 with a great play from below the goal line. Felipe Larranaga sent a slap-pass from the right point to the slot where it was deflected on goal. Haddon then picked up the rebound to the left of the cage and banked the puck in off of the Arizona netminder.

Riley Nelson and Kevin Ulanski teamed up for a shorthanded tally midway through the period as the Eagles continued to score throughout the lineup. Nelson's attempted pass from right-to-left through the low slot was blocked by a defenseman, but the rebound came right back to Nelson who was able to put it into a half-empty net as Perras had slid out of position anticipating the pass.

Jackson then got his fourth assist of the game at 18:28 when he and Aaron Schneekloth passed the puck back and forth from their own end through the neutral zone. Schneekloth then got behind the Sundogs defense along the left wing and beat Perras high from the left circle to make it 6-1.

Kyle McNulty began the third period in net for the Sundogs who scored their second power-play goal of the night 2:15 in, just four seconds into the man advantage. After winning the faceoff in the left circle, Chris Bartolone picked up the puck and snapped a shot past Penner from the top of the circles.

But just 43 seconds later, the Eagles got that goal back with a 4-on-4 tally when Ulanski sent a backhand pass from deep in the right corner to Nelson cruising between the circles. And Ryan McLeod closed out the scoring midway through the final frame with a backhander from in close after McGrane found him streaking down the slot.

The game was physical throughout, but reached its apex when Alex Penner came to the aid of his older brother who had been taken out behind his own net earlier in the period.

The Eagles continue their seven-game road trip, now 2-0, as they travel to Tulsa for a game Tuesday night.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 28, 2009


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