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CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Sweep Opening Series With Shootouts

October 18, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Rapid City Rush for the second game in as many nights by way of a shootout, this time 5-4. The game featured the much-anticipated season debut of Konrad Reeder in an Eagles uniform and Morgan Cey's first start in net. Both would have a large hand in the game's results. And on a night full of power plays - 20 in all - only one of the game's eight regulation goals was scored at even strength; all four of Colorado's goals came on the man-advantage.

The Eagles had the majority of the scoring chances in the opening period when playing 5-on-5, but they trailed 2-1 after 20 minutes of play partially because they spent a good portion of it short-handed. The Rush got the opening two goals for the second night in a row, both on the power play. Rich Hansen got his first goal of the year from the right side of the net on a cross-crease feed from Gio Flamminio at 8:14. Hansen then got his fifth point of the season by assisting on a pretty tic-tac-toe play that resulted in Chris Di Ubaldo beating Cey high on the blocker side from the right hash marks just over a minute and a half after the opening score.

Colorado cut the lead in half with a power play marker of their own at 15:27 - just 16 seconds into their man-advantage chance - when Aaron Schneekloth sent a long lead pass from his own zone to Ryan Tobler entering the Rush zone in the middle of the ice. The veteran forward then sent a pass to Scott Polaski skating down the right wing. Polaski quickly sent the puck across the ice to Ed McGrane, and his goal gave the forward a 13 game scoring streak dating to last season (March 1).

The second period saw the Eagles pull ahead for the first time. Reeder made his presence felt early in the period when he stole the puck from Garrett Prosofsky in the middle of the Rapid City zone, drawing a hooking penalty in the process. And just 32 seconds into the man-advantage chance, Brett Hammond found - who else - his new teammate crashing the left side of the net for Colorado's second power play goal of the night to tie the game.

Greg Pankewicz gave the Eagles the lead at 5:42 after a Rush defender made a great play to break up a pass, but the puck ended up in the middle of the ice for the Eagles' captain; he skated up to the puck and blasted a rocket past Miguel Beaudry's glove. Colorado spent the remainder of the period torturing Rapid City on the penalty kill, including a 3-on-1 break, a McGrane breakaway and a 15 second barrage of chances where even a possible goal was waived off.

The first goal of the third period was the only even strength tally of the night, scored by RG Flath at 6:43 from the low slot, tying the game at 3. But the Eagles went ahead again with another power play goal (making them 4-8 at that point) at 8:18 - the four power play goals in a single game tying for second-most in franchise history. The goal was McGrane's second of the night and came after Erik Adams won a battle alone the left wing boards and shuffled a pass to Tobler, who sent a speedy pass to the wide open McGrane in the right circle.

Both goalies made some big stops as regulation wound down, and with just 42.6 seconds left - and with an extra attacker - the Rush scored their final power play goal of the night when Flamminio's shot from the point was kicked aside by Jason Beatty, but right to the tape of Hansen for his second goal of the evening.

And just like the night before, the teams skated to a goal-less overtime period, leaving the game to a shootout. And just like in the season's opening game, the Eagles' goalie was the difference as Cey stopped six of seven Rapid City shooters. Colorado got two goals (one by Kevin Ulanski), with Scott Polaski notching the game-winner; ironically, both players were the only Eagles shooters not to score in the shootout the night before.

In addition to making plays all over the ice all night long, Reeder was also named the game's third star and marked the occasion by performing his patented celebration where he skates toward an empty net, bends backwards at the knees, puts his helmet on the ice and glides into the goal.

Colorado plays their next game on Wednesday, October 22 against the Rocky Mountain Rage at the Broomfield Event Center.

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