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CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Sweep Bugs Away, RiverKings Next

April 6, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


BOSSIER CITY, La. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, 4-3, in overtime, scoring four unanswered goals to earn the first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Greg Pankewicz had two goals -- including the game-winner -- as did Ed McGrane, while Andrew Penner stopped 42 of 45 shots in the win. The Eagles will now face the Mississippi RiverKings in the Northern Conference Finals of the Ray Miron President's Cup playoffs; it will be Colorado's fourth trip to the Conference Finals in the past five years (also in 2005, 2007 and 2008).

The Mudbugs built a 3-0 lead after the first period on the strength of a 20-8 edge in shots, aided by four power play chances. Brett Smith got the 'Bugs their first opening goal of the series at 12:11 after a turnover in front of Penner allowed the Bossier-Shreveport forward to shovel a backhand shot high past the netminder from the low slot.

Travis Clayton, the Mudbugs' leading scorer, made it 2-0 with Bossier-Shreveport's second man-advantage goal of the series at 15:27, on their fourth power play of the period. The 'Bugs' captain put home a Smith rebound from the same spot on the ice as the first score. And just 21 seconds later it was 3-0 as Neil Clark threw the puck on net from the right goal line and it went off of Chris Brassard and into the net.

For the first time in the series, the Eagles had the better second period, climbing back to within a goal by scoring twice in the first seven minutes of play. Colorado's captain, Pankewicz, put the Governors' Cup champs on the board 1:21 in with one of his patented blasts from the right faceoff dot. And at 6:43, the Eagles got a power-play goal of their own when McGrane's shot from the inside half of the left circle deflected off of Quade Lightbody and past Ken Carroll to make it 3-2 Bossier-Shreveport.

The Eagles came out flying in third, creating several scoring chances in the first couple of minutes, finally capped off by McGrane's second goal of night at 2:09. Jay Birnie sprung the Eagles forward on a breakaway with a dish from the neutral zone and McGrane beat Carroll on the backhand to tie the score at 3.

Colorado had a chance to take the lead minutes later when their top-ranked power play had back-to-back opportunities, but they couldn't convert. And as the period wound down, Bossier-Shreveport got their own golden opportunity with a late power play, but the Eagles killed it off to force the contest into overtime for the second game in a row.

It was the Eagles who got the good fortune of a power play early in the overtime frame and Pankewicz, standing in the left circle, took a cross-ice feed from Scott Polaski (who assisted on the Game 3 overtime-winner) and one-timed it past the Mudbugs' goaltender at 2:01 before sprawling to the ice in celebration.

The complete Northern Conference Finals schedule against the Mississippi RiverKings should be finalized and released Tuesday morning.

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