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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Top Defending Champions, 6-5, in a Shootout

November 23, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the defending champion Florida Everblades, 6-5, in a shootout, as the teams squared off for the second meeting of a three-game set this week at the Budweiser Events Center. The back-and-forth game saw four total lead changes -- fueled by two of the league's top power plays -- as Colorado won their first contest in extra time this season.

The Everblades got out to an early lead when Aaron Bogosian beat Kyle Jones just 1:14 in on a wraparound, a move that gave the goaltender trouble in Wednesday night's loss. But Jones rebounded midway through the period by stopping Brody Sutter on a breakaway, and his team made his strong stop stand up with a pair of power-play goals in the following few minutes.

The Eagles tied the game at 12:47 when Chad Costello threaded a cross-ice pass to Jack Combs on a power play. And some fantastic tic-tac-toe passing 16 minutes in led to Combs' second man-advantage marker of the frame, giving him a league-leading seven power-play goals and the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

But Florida countered two minutes later on a great play of their own when Tommi Kivisto knocked down a clearing attempt along the glass at the left point and threw the puck into the slot where Matt Marquardt was able to tip it past Jones, giving him a team-leading 21 points on the year.

The second period was a tale of two halves, with the Eagles dominating the first 10 minutes of play -- including several extended shifts in the offensive zone -- as they built a 4-2 lead. They made it 3-2 on a great play in the left circle when Michael Forney sent a behind-the-back pass to Costello, who snapped the puck past John Muse four minutes in.

Colorado was awarded back-to-back power plays midway through the period, but a penalty cut the second one short, resulting in 4-on-4 play. While skating four players aside, Trent Daavettila batted down a Florida clearing attempt at the blue line, then skated in and slapped an on-edge puck into the Everblades' net to make it 4-2.

But a minute later, on the ensuing Florida power play, Leigh Salters trimmed that lead to 4-3 when he was able to sneak a puck inside the post on Jones on the Everblades' first shot of the period (at 10:39). Then at 14:19, the defending champs got their second power-play goal of the period to knot the score back up when Mathieu Roy put home a chance from the doorstep.

The Eagles killed a partial 5-on-3 to start off the third period, but a few minutes later they were back on the penalty kill and allowed the Everblades' third power-play goal in a row. Following a great shorthanded chance, Alex Hutchings finished off a 3-on-2 rush the other way that put Florida up 5-4 with just over 15 minutes left in regulation.

Colorado countered less than a minute later, however, when Aaron Schneekloth sent a shot-pass to the right side of the net where Daavettila deflected it home for his second goal of the game. The teams exchanged unsuccessful man-advantages the rest of the period, forcing overtime tied at 5.

The Eagles carried most of the play in overtime, generating a 3-1 edge in shots, but neither team could score, leaving the contest to be decided in a shootout.

In the shootout, Jones stopped four of five Everblades shooters, while Costello and Joey Sides were able to beat Muse -- each with highlight reel goals -- to give the Eagles the edge and the game's second point.

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