CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Week In Review

Published on April 14, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Week In Review

Tuesday, April 8; New NoCo Hockey Show Episode Airs Wednesday

WINDSOR, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles have announced that the April episode of their Colorado Eagles NoCo Hockey Show will debut on Altitude Sports & Entertainment Thursday evening at 10:00. This month's show will feature: The Top 10 highlights of the regular season, Kevin McGlue learns how Greg Pankewicz and Jay Birnie prepare their sticks before games, new NoCo reporter Lauren Gardner takes part in the Eagles pre-game FIFA warmup tradition, Tori Holt goes night fishing with members of the team and a look at the Eagles as celebrity bartenders for a night at Lucky Joe's in an effort to help raise money for the Colorado Eagles Foundation.

A full list of all 11 April air times is listed below:

Thursday, April 10; 10:00 p.m.

Friday, April 11; 5:30 p.m.

Monday, April 14; 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 17; 3:30 p.m.

Friday, April 18; 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 19; 6:30 p.m.

Monday, April 21; 10:00 a.m.

Tuesday, April 22; 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 23; 10:30 a.m.

Monday, April 28; 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 30; 6:30 p.m.

Be sure to check your local listings for Altitude Sports & Entertainment and additional Colorado Eagles coverage.

Thursday, April 10; Eagles to Host Block Party Before Sunday's Game

Fans,

Come out for an Eagles pre-game Block Party before Game Two of the Northern Conference Finals against the Texas Brahmas on Sunday April 13. The Party will begin at 4:30 and run until the doors open at 6 (weather permitting). Activities and food specials will be available for the whole family, including: Half-Price Beer, $1 Hotdogs, $3 Frozen Margaritas, Free Popcorn and Ice Cream (courtesy of Ovations Food Services and Meadow Gold). Specifically for the event, there will be a "Texas Oyster" eating contest (provided by Austin's), a Mechanical Bull and other Brahma-Beating themed events. In addition, there will be the regular Face Painting table, the Colorado Eagles Shoot Booth and free Eagles merchandise and tickets to other Budweiser Events Center events given away. Also, be sure to be in your seats early as there will be a special local celebrity puck-dropper.

Friday, April 11; Eagles Take 1-0 Series Lead in Conference Finals

LOVELAND, Colo. - Sebastien Laplante came within one minute and 15 seconds of his second consecutive shutout and Scott Polaski tallied three points (2-1-3) to push the Colorado Eagles past the Texas Brahmas 4-1 in Game One of the Northern Conference Finals. The loss was just the second of the playoffs for Texas - and just their ninth in the last 42 games - after sweeping the top-seeded Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the last round. The Eagles were all over the Brahmas in the first, out-shooting them 18-8, out-scoring them 2-0 and (unofficially) creating eight scoring chances to Texas' one. Greg Pankewicz got his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs at 6:24 after a broken play left the puck on his stick at the right point. Brad Williamson threw a pass from the goal line toward Seth Leonard between the circles, but the puck skipped off Leonard's stick and right to the Eagles' captain who teed it up and fired a laser into the top left corner. The Eagles struck again exactly six minutes later on a great play by Polaski. Polaski received a Riley Nelson pass with his skate and kicked it to his back-hand before flicking a sharp-angle shot past David Cacciola for a two-goal lead. The second period brought more of the same as Colorado expanded its lead to 4-0 and out-shot Texas 15-6. The Brahmas had a golden chance to get on the scoreboard when they were awarded 1:55 of 5-on-3 play just four minutes in. But the Eagles killed the whole thing and held the Brahmas to just a single shot - the crowd showed its appreciation with a standing ovation. Kris Wiebe got his second goal of the playoffs at 15:29 as he skated the puck out from behind the Texas goal line, but stumbled and swept the disc at the net on his way down; the puck slid under the Brahmas' netminder to give the Eagles a three goal lead. Polaski then got his second goal of the night at 18:07 when he snapped a shot top shelf from the left hashes. Cacciola hadn't allowed more than three goals-against in any of his four previous playoff games this year. Texas finally got on the board with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 18:45 of the third, ruining Laplante's shutout bid with his first goal-allowed in 124 minutes and four seconds (it would have been his third shutout in six playoff games). Anders Strom got his team-leading 10th point of the playoffs with a shot top-shelf from between the hashes. The Eagles will look to take a 2-0 series lead in Game Two, Sunday night. There will be a Block Party before the game, starting at 4:30 (weather permitting), featuring Brahma-beating events such as a "Texas" Oyster eating contest and a mechanical bull, food ($1 hotdogs) and drink specials (half-priced beer) and much more for the entire family.

Sunday, April 13; Laplante Ties CHL Record With Third Playoff Shutout

LOVELAND, Colo. - One game after losing a shutout with just 75 seconds left, Colorado netminder Sebastien Laplante led the Eagles to a 2-0 series lead in the Northern Conference Finals with a 2-0 blanking of the Texas Brahmas. The shutout was his third in seven playoff games this year, tying a CHL record (also hit last year by Eagles goalie Tim Boron). The Eagles' top-ranked penalty kill (88% coming into the game) went a perfect 11-11 in the contest to aid Laplante's effort. Goaltending and penalty killing were the story of the first period as both netminders put up zeroes. Brett Jaeger made a handful of flashy saves for the Brahmas to stifle the Eagles, but not to be outdone at the other end, Laplante made his fair share of big saves to blank an opponent for the 13th time in 19 postseason periods. Colorado out-shot Texas 13-11 despite the Bramhas having four power plays - including three minutes of a double-minor and one minute worth of 5-on-3 play at period's end. The Eagles held the Brahmas without a shot on one power play midway through the period. The second period brought more of the same, with the Eagles finishing the 5-on-3 kill during the first minute and receiving a standing ovation from the crowd for the second game in a row. Colorado killed two more Texas power-plays in the second to push their penalty-killing numbers to 14-15 (93.33%) in the series. The Brahmas killed three penalties of their own, including a partial 5-on-3 for Colorado. Laplante made two stellar saves, one on Anders Strome with his right leg on a shot from the high slot and another when Justin Kinnunen had a breakaway with five and a half minutes left; Laplante squeezed the puck between his right arm and his body as he fell backward into his crease in what was the best scoring chance in the game to that point. Ed McGrane broke the scoreless standstill with a terrific individual effort at 8:02 of the third. McGrane carried the puck over the Texas blue line along the left-wing boards and then used a burst of speed to split the defense before sliding a shot under Jaeger from low in the left circle. Scott Polaski got his third goal in two nights - and the Eagles second short-hander of the playoffs - when Riley Nelson carried the puck through the neutral zone and then curled up along the left-wing boards to delay the play before sending a pass to Polaski who was skating wide open down the slot. Colorado made the game and Laplante's shutout bid interesting for the second game in a row when they were forced to kill another penalty (in addition to Texas pulling Jaeger) in the game's final two minutes. But their penalty-killers made it a perfect 11-for-11 on the night to preserve the shutout and the victory. The Eagles will now head to North Richland Hills, Texas for Games Three, Four and if necessary, Five. Game Three is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16. Puck-drop is set for 6:05 MST.

Special Note Colorado State University coaching legend Sonny Lubick and his wife Carol Jo were honored as special celebrity puck-droppers prior to the game. Lubick was given an Eagles jersey with his name on it and the number one on the back by Eagles CEO Martin Lind. The crowd jumped to its feet and roared the moment Lubick stepped on the ice to a video montage.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, Friday and if necessary Saturday April 16, 18 & 19; Colorado Heads to Texas to Close out Conference Finals, Advance to President's Cup Finals

The Eagles take a 2-0 series lead to North Richland Hills, Texas where they'll look to take two more games from the Brahmas at the NYTEX Sports Centre. If Texas wins at least two out of the three games, the series will return to Loveland on the 21st and possibly the 23rd. If the Eagles win two more games, they'll advance to the President's Cup Finals in defense of their championship.

Notable Numbers

LAYING EGGS - Eagles netminder Sebastien Laplante tied a CHL Playoff record with his third shutout on Sunday. He now has three shutouts in seven games, and came within 75 seconds of posting a fourth in Colorado's 4-1 win in Game One of the Conference Finals. Laplante also led the Eagles to a 5-0 win in Game Two against the SteelHounds in the Conference Semi-Finals and posted a 1-0 shutout to clinch the series in Game Five. Laplante leads the league's goaltenders in wins (6) and shutouts (3), while ranking second in SV% (.952) and third in GAA (1.57).

STREAKING AT HOME - With their win in Game One of the Conference Finals, the Eagles set a new franchise record for consecutive wins at home in the playoffs at eight. Their current streak - now at nine after their Game Two victory - runs all the way back to April 29 of last year. Their last home playoff loss came in overtime against the RiverKings in Game One of the 2007 Conference Finals.

PENALTY KILLING PROS - The Eagles and Brahmas are ranked first and second respectively in playoff penalty-killing percentage and this series has shown why. After two games, Colorado has killed 19-20 Texas man-advantage chances to push their overall playoff numbers to a remarkable 90.16. Right on their heels, the Brahmas have held the Eagles without a power-play goal, killing all 11 of their chances, and pushing their second-ranked PK to 89.09.

ON THE PLUS SIDE - Not a single member of the Eagles team has a negative plus/minus rating through their seven playoff games, and only one (Fraser Filipic) is as "low" as an even zero. Greg Pankewicz and Ed McGrane lead the team with a +6, tying them for second highest in the league. The Brahmas, on the other hand, have only three players on their roster with at least a +1 rating - with nobody above a +2.

GREAT SCOTT - Colorado forward Scott Polaski is off to a torrid start in the Conference Finals, registering five points (3-2-5) in two games. Polaski was named the game's Number One Star in Game One (2-1-3) and the Number Two Star in Game Two (a short-handed goal and an assist on the game-winner). His short-handed tally was the 14th in franchise history.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2008


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