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CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles sweep weekend series over New Mexico with 5-3 win

March 13, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, CO – In the eleventh and final game against the New Mexico Scorpions, the Colorado Eagles won their eighth game against the Scorpions. Ryan Tobler had two goals and Kevin Marsh had three assists in the 5-3 victory which improved the Eagles record to 42-9-6. The Governors' Cup Champions are still awaiting an opponent for the first round of the 2005 Playoffs. Five teams are still vying for the final playoff spot to face the Colorado Eagles. Tulsa, New Mexico, Memphis, Oklahoma City and Fort Worth are all still mathematically alive, but the Tulsa Oilers are still in the drivers seat with three games to go in the season.

The Eagles scored first for the 37th time this season on a power play goal by Riley Nelson. Miguel Beaudry could not hold on to a shot by Brad Williamson, and Nelson was their to pick up the rebound for his 32nd goal of the season. When the Eagles score first, they are a tough team to beat coming into the game at 31-4-1 when scoring the first goal. That goal came early in the period, but would be the only scoring of the first period. The Eagles out shot the Scorpions 13-10, and held on to the 1-0 lead.

The action was frantic in the second period. Eagles' defenseman Matt Desrosiers scored his third goal in two games when he pinched in and took a feed from Karlis Zirnis from behind the net, Desrosiers backhanded the pass over Beaudry to take a 2-0 lead. The Scorpions, with their backs to the wall, came storming right back and cut the lead in half just 21 seconds later. Randy Murphy from behind the net passed the puck to Jordan Bianchin who beat a sprawling Tyler Weiman at the 11:36 mark. Colorado regained the two-goal lead less than three minutes later on a power play goal by Sean Robertson. The Scorpions gave him some room to skate in the left circle and he wristed a shot just over Beaudry's glove. After two periods, the Eagles held on to a 3-2 lead.

The excitement escalated even more in the third period in which four goals were scored. At the 8:37 mark, Randy Murphy had the puck bounce off his skate and into the net to cut the lead to 3-2. It was his team-leading 33rd goal of the season. The Eagles struck back right away, under one minute later when Ryan Tobler scored on a great feed from Kevin Marsh which would eventually become the game winning goal. It was his 10th game-winning goal of the season which now ties him for first place in the Central Hockey League with Lubbock's Anders Strome. The Eagles tried to hold on to the 4-2 lead, but New Mexico kept fighting and scored with 39 seconds remaining in the third period with an extra attacker. Shaun Legault punched in a loose puck from the top of the slot and gave the Scorpions new life. New Mexico kept Beaudry out of the net and had two very good scoring chances to tie the game in the final 30 seconds. It was not to be, and Ryan Tobler capped the game off with his second goal of the game, an empty netter with two seconds remaining. The Scorpions out shot the Eagles 17-10 in the third period, but could never get that tying goal and finally losing 5-3.

The Eagles have just one more regular season home game when they take on the Lubbock Cotton Kings on Wednesday night at the Budweiser Events Center. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. MST. The final two games of the regular season are on the road for Colorado. On Friday, March 18, the Eagles take on the Cotton Kings in Lubbock, and the following night they travel to Fort Worth for the last game of the season.

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