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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles, Thunder Rivalry Grows in 6-2 Stockton Win

January 13, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Stockton Thunder defeated the Colorado Eagles, 6-2, in the fourth straight game between the teams, wrapping up the season series in a 3-3-0 tie. The teams combined for 83 penalty minutes in a game that featured plenty of feistiness, and even though the season just passed its halfway point, if the playoffs began today, the teams (separated by just six points in the standings) would square-off in the opening round for the second year in a row.

The opening period began competitively with each team generating quality scoring chances early and often. One minute in, Cody Reichard turned away the Eagles' first shot when he stopped Teegan Moore on a breakaway. At 2:42, Gabriel Levesque placed a perfect shot under the crossbar, beating Adam Brown's glove from atop the right circle on Stockton's first shot of the game.

Two minutes later, Yannick Riendeau doubled Stockton's lead with a wraparound goal. But at the eight minute mark, Colorado was able to cut that lead in half on their second shot of the game. On the play, Trent Daavettila slowed the pace down just outside his own zone and found Michael Forney cutting through the neutral zone. Forney then sent a saucer pass into the offensive zone along the right wing where Kevin Ulanski picked it up in stride before beating Reichard.

Stockton was awarded a full 5-on-3 advantage during the second half of the opening period when Colorado's coaches were hit with a bench minor for voicing their displeasure over the third consecutive penalty called against the Eagles by referee Ryan Murphy. Colorado killed the two-man advantage successfully, but less than a minute later Garet Hunt put the Thunder up 3-1 by cleaning up a loose puck from the low slot following a Stockton rush.

Colorado began the second frame killing the majority of five minute major assessed just before the end of the first frame -- the Eagles accrued 33 penalty minutes in the first to zero for the Thunder -- and were quickly down two skaters again when Joey Sides was called for tripping just 35 seconds into the period. Stockton took advantage and stretched their lead to 4-1 a minute later when Riendeau put home his second score of the game.

Nearly 13 minutes elapsed in the second period before Stockton was called for its first penalty, but the Eagles weren't able to convert with their league-leading power play unit. And with just over a minute left in the period, Cameron Abney scored on a breakaway when his shot bounced off the post and then Brown's back before ending up over the goal line. Colorado, however, was able to counter a minute later -- with just four seconds left in the frame -- when Jake Marto put home a chance from the slot.

Reichard continued his strong play in the third period, keeping the Eagles from staging a comeback. He stonewalled Ulanski on a breakaway 2:30 into the frame, then shut the door on another Eagles power play that generated several good looks four minutes later. Abney tallied his second goal of the game on Stockton's 12th power play -- out of 14 -- of the night later in the period to account for the final score.

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