CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Week In Review

Published on December 1, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


WINDSOR, Colo. - After spending the past three and a half months at Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Denver, Les Borsheim returned to his home in Windsor on Wednesday. The former Eagles player, who was paralyzed in a June motorcycle accident, gained admittance to the world-renowned rehab hospital in early August after battling back from his near-death and total-paralysis state following the accident. In the months since that fateful day - his positive outlook and sense of humor still intact - Borsheim has made incredible improvements and his time at Craig has helped him learn how to continue living life to its fullest.

"I don't take anything for granted anymore," Borsheim said. "The small things that I used to be able to do are so difficult now, but I'm definitely making small strides and improvements every day." He continued, "But it's good to be home. Getting around. Finding my way around things again. That's the trick.

"And it's nice being back in Windsor. It feels like home. I've been living here for the past few years and everything's familiar and comfortable for me. All my old teammates are dropping in all the time, and it's just kind of 'back to reality' with friends, family and familiar things."

He will be living with his girlfriend Kara in his old apartment that has recently been refurbished and made wheelchair-accessible. "We had to change the bathroom - get a new wheel-in shower - we put wood floors in the bedroom and had to buy a hospital bed," she said. "We also had an electric door opener installed and a ramp put into the sidewalk. It's definitely been a process."

Borsheim will also be surrounded by a Northern Colorado community that reached out to help him like few others would. In the days immediately following the accident, the local community - along with well-wishers across the continent - showed their support by joining Team Borsheim at www.TeamBorsheim.com. The Web site was created just days after the accident by one of his former teammates in Oklahoma City, and fans were able to donate to Les' recovery fund in several ways and leave encouraging messages through the site.

In addition, the Eagles held a celebrity golf tournament in early September and used the funds raised through the event to help present Borsheim with a check for $100,000 during a preseason benefit game held in his honor on October 8. "I just want to thank all the fans for their support, and let them know how much it means to me," he said. "It's all been unbelievable."

Monday, November 24; Penner Named CHL's Goaltender of the Week

(LEAGUE RELEASE) - The Central Hockey League announced today that the recipients for the Oakley CHL Player and Goaltender of the Week for the period ending November 23rd, 2008 are forward Bill Vandermeer of the Oklahoma City Blazers and goaltender Andrew Penner of the Colorado Eagles.

Penner is in his first season with the Eagles and has been half of a very potent goaltending tandem with Morgan Cey. The duo is allowing just 2.87 goals per game (fourth in the CHL) and collectively have the Eagles off to their best start in franchise history at 13-2-0. Last week, Penner went 2-0 allowing two goals on 49 shots. He faced 15 power plays in his two games and he and his penalty killers did not allow a man advantage goal. For the season, the Simcoe, Ontario native is 7-1-0 with a 2.72 goals against average (seventh in the CHL).

In recognition of their achievement, both Vandermeer and Penner will receive a special gift from Oakley.

Oakley CHL Player of the Week Bill Vandermeer, Oklahoma City Blazers Position: F

(Weekly Totals) Games Played: 3 Goals: 4 Assists: 2 Points: 6 Plus/Minus: +1

Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week Andrew Penner, Colorado Eagles Position: G (Weekly Totals) Games Played: 2

Record: 2-0-0 GAA: 1.00 Save %: 0.959 Saves: 47 of 49

Tuesday, November 25; Pankewicz's Hat Trick Voted Performance of the Week

(LEAGUE RELEASE) - The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today that Colorado forward Greg Pankewicz has been voted as Week Five's CHL Performance of the Week. The Drayton Valley, Alberta native earned the award after his four-point night (including a hat trick) in the Eagles 7-3 victory over Tulsa on Veteran's Day (November 11th).

The four-point night for Pankewicz garnered 34% of the vote in what turned out to be a close race. 328 total fans voted for Pankewicz, while 269 voted for the runner-up, Travis Clayton playing in 708th CHL game. In all, 959 votes were cast.

The 6-0, 195-pound forward is off to a great start this season just like the Eagles who are tops in the CHL with a 13-2-0 record. Pankewicz has recorded three hat tricks this season and leads the league with 14 goals.

The nominees for the CHL Performance of the Week for week six of the season (Nov. 17-23) are as follows:

-Travis Clayton (BOS) playing in record-setting 709th CHL game on November 21st

-Scott Wray's (RMR) hat trick in 4-3 shootout win versus Rapid City on November 22nd

-OKC's five PP goals in 7-3 win over Texas on November 23rd

-Eagles team record seven goal second period in 8-2 win over Rapid City on November 21st

-Jeff Alcombrack's (MIS) four-point night in 6-4 win at Tulsa on November 21st

Fans can vote for the winner through Monday, December 1st with the winner being announced on Tuesday, December 2nd.

CHL's Hat Tricks for Kids The CHL and Infinity Pro Sports have partnered for the 2008-09 season for a new program called Hat Tricks for Kids. Infinity Pro Sports will donate $25.00 for every hat trick scored throughout the CHL regular season. Fans are also able to donate money to the program that will donate all proceeds to The Hoffen Foundation (www.hoffenfoundation.org). To follow the Hat Trick's Tote Board and see how much money has been donated to date or to donate money yourself visit www.hattricksforkids.org.

Tuesday, November 25; Colorado Eagles Holiday Office Hours

Eagles Fans,

We'd like to wish you a happy Holiday Season, and remind you that we too will be enjoying some time with our families and friends. Below you can find a schedule of our office hours for the rest of the year.

Our office hours will remain normal (8:30-5, Mon-Fri on non-game days / 8:30-3 on weekday game days) except for the following days in which we will be closed:

Wednesday, November 26

Thursday, November 27

Friday, November 28

Friday, December 19

Wednesday, December 24

Thursday, December 25

Friday, December 26

Wednesday, December 31

Thursday, January 1

Friday, January 2

Again, we'd like to wish you "Happy Holidays," and thank you for supporting Colorado Eagles hockey!

Tuesday, November 25; Nov. 28: Huge Sale on Jerseys, All-Star Jersey Released

The Colorado Eagles' Holiday Store in the Foothills Mall in Fort Collins is now open through the end of the calendar year (located a few doors down from Hallmark and across from Payless). Stop by to give your loved ones the gift of hockey and take advantage of several special sales and deals throughout the holiday season. Check out our new line of hoodies, jerseys, hats, game-used hockey gear, gift certificates and more!

**HUGE SALE ON JERSEYS - ONE DAY ONLY - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28th**

*Exclusive Release of the 2009 CHL All-Star Jerseys!*

Eagles players, Slapshot and the Pioneer Press Eagles Chicks will also be making scheduled appearances on site throughout the holidays. A full list of scheduled appearances can be found below*:

- Friday, November 28; 12-1 p.m. (Filipic, Eagles Chicks and Slapshot)

- Sunday, December 7; 12-1 p.m. (Reeder, Ulanski and Slapshot)

- Saturday, December 13; 1-2 p.m. (Eagles Chicks and Players TBD)

- Friday, December 19; All Day (Fanboni)

- Saturday, December 20; 1-2 p.m. (Filipic, Eagles Chicks and Slapshot)

* - Players and times subject to change without notice.

Wednesday, November 26; Reeder's Bookend Goals Lead Eagles Over Rage

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Rocky Mountain Rage tonight, 6-4, withstanding a three-goal third period outburst by their in-state rival. The Eagles held Rocky Mountain to just 18 shots on the night -- tying the third lowest total for shots allowed in franchise history -- and got multiple-point games from six different players on the way to their league-leading 14th win.

Rocky Mountain struck first with their second short-handed goal of the year at 6:46 when David Morelli capped off a nice play by Colt King on a 2-on-1 rush. King held onto the puck all the way past the right side of the net and dished a backhand pass back toward the slot from below the goal line and Morelli knocked in the loose puck from the crease.

The Eagles answered at the 10 minute mark when a Rage player's clearing attempt hit Greg Pankewicz just outside the blue line, setting up a quick Colorado rush into the offensive zone. Marty Magers stopped Pankewicz's shot from the top of the left circle, but sent the rebound right to Konrad Reeder skating alone down the slot for the put-back.

The Eagles scored three times in the second period to take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission. Riley Nelson scored the first goal of the period at 5:06 on a great individual play. Starting at center ice, the veteran forward carried the puck into the Rage zone down the left wing and then deked Chris Brannen to the inside before beating Magers with a backhander from in front.

Adam Hogg made it 3-1 at 11:07 when he stuffed home a Ryan Tobler rebound from in front, and Erik Adams made it 4-1 with a power-play goal at 16:27 off another Tobler assist. Adams picked up the goal after circling behind the net and picking up Tobler's rebound low in the left circle before beating the Rage netminder top shelf from in front.

The Rage mounted a comeback in the third, scoring three goals on eight shots, but it wasn't enough as Scott Polaski and Reeder scored in the period for the Eagles. Polaski scored just 55 seconds in after Colorado chipped the puck around behind the Rocky Mountain net and Hogg dished a pass out into the slot where the defenseman one-timed it home.

Aaron Davis made it 5-2 with a power-play goal at 5:44 when he was able to poke a Scott Wray rebound past Morgan Cey just before the Eagles' goaltender could smother the puck with his glove on the doorstep, and the goal seemed to spark the Rage. At 13:07, Simon Watson circled from below the Colorado goal line, up the left wing boards, and to the center of the ice before sending a shot on net that was deflected by Wray at the left post.

Late in the frame, with the score 5-3, Rocky Mountain pulled Magers for an extra attacker and the move paid off when Pat Sutton's shot from the point found its way into the goal with 38 seconds left. But Reeder iced the game 15 seconds later with an empty-netter from high along the left wing boards.

Friday, November 28; Special Teams Trounce Rush Again in Second Period

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles got their second win in a row against the Rapid City Rush on the strength of a stellar second period, scoring five special teams goals on the way to a 7-1 win. Andrew Penner stopped 34 of 35 shots -- losing the shootout on a deflected goal -- and the Eagles scored six total special teams goals on the night.

The Eagles and Rush skated to a scoreless first period, but it wasn't for a lack of quality scoring chances. Both Penner and Lanny Ramage were stellar, stopping everything that came their way, and getting help from their goalposts when pucks were just out of reach. Penner stopped all 16 Rush shots in the first and Ramage stopped all nine Eagles chances.

Just like they did last Friday against the Rush in a franchise record-setting performance, the Eagles exploded in the middle frame for six goals (one off of last week's seven). This time, however, it was Colorado's special teams that aided in the effort after going without a goal in the 8-2 win a week earlier; five of the team's six second period goals came via specialty teams, four on the power play.

Ryan Tobler got the scoring started just under five minutes in when he completed a tic-tac-toe play from Riley Nelson and Ed McGrane on a 5-on-3 advantage. But at 8:30, Rapid City got their only goal of the night when Luke Fritshaw took a spinning shot on net from the right wing boards that was deflected in by Kyle Sheen in front as he skated between the net and the right circle.

The Eagles got another power-play tally at 10:59 when Nelson sent a short pass from the right hash to Aaron Schneekloth at the left hash, and the defenseman sent a wrister into the top right corner. Kevin Ulanski got the next goal just under two minutes later when he beat Ramage on a short-handed breakaway.

Colorado kept coming as Tobler set up the next power-play goal after he was stopped on a mini-rush, but got his own rebound behind the net and fed Greg Pankewicz in the right circle to make it 4-1. Then just nine seconds later -- tying a franchise record for fastest consecutive goals -- Tobler got another man-advantage marker to push his league-leading total to 10. And with just nine seconds left in the period, Brett Hammond made it 6-1 with a slick backhand shot from the doorstep off a feed from Steve Haddon coming off the right boards. The six goal second made it 13 in the past two second periods against the Rush.

Miguel Beaudry came out in net for the start of the third period for Rapid City, and stopped eight of nine shots in the final frame. The lone goal to get past him was the Eagles' second short-handed tally of the night at 16:25. Haddon set up his second consecutive goal with a dish from the right boards with Konrad Reeder deflecting it home from the slot.

Both teams quickly boarded their busses after the game and got on the road toward their 2:05 matinee tomorrow in Rapid City -- the Rush's first ever game, and the first professional hockey game in the state of South Dakota.

Saturday, November 29; Rush Strike Gold in Home Opener

RAPID CITY, S.D. - Rich Hansen and Miguel Beaudry lifted the Rapid City Rush to a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Eagles this afternoon, earning the Rush a victory in their home opener and the first professional game played in the state of South Dakota. Hansen had a pair of goals -- including the game-winner -- and Beaudry stopped all 26 of the shots he faced.

After a fantastic set of opening ceremonies -- complete with fireworks upon introductions -- the standing room-only crowd at the impressive new Rushmore Plaza Civic Center was hyped up for its team's first home game of the season, and they would not leave disappointed.

The Rush and Eagles skated to a fairly even first period, but it was Rapid City's Hansen who got the first home goal in franchise history -- fittingly, on a quick rush -- when he beat Morgan Cey from between the circles. Blaine Jarvis picked up the assist with the pass that sprung Hansen down the slot.

After struggling in the past two second periods against the Eagles, the Rush stood toe-to-toe with Colorado this time. Both teams skated to an even period -- shots were nine for Rapid City, eight for Colorado -- as both goaltenders made some great saves to keep the score the same after the second 20 minutes of play.

Just 18 seconds into the final frame, Hansen made it 2-0 when he beat Cey 5-hole from low in the right circle after a turnover by the Eagles. And at 4:12, Jamie VanderVeeken extended the Rapid City lead after his slapshot from the left circle beat the Eagles' netminder. Derek LeBlanc put the icing on the cake just past the period's mid-point when he skated untouched at the left side of Colorado's net and buried a Jon Pelle rebound.

The Eagles' next game will come on Saturday, December 6 against the Rocky Mountain Rage.

The Week Ahead

Saturday, December 6; Eagles End Long Week "Off" With Game Against Rage

After playing three games in fewer than four days over this past weekend, the Eagles will go a full week before their next game on Saturday, December 6 when they take on the Rocky Mountain Rage. So far this season, the Eagles are 2-0 against their Front Range rival, out-scoring the Rage 11-5.

Notable Numbers

LAYING AN EGG - The Eagles were shut out 4-0 in Rapid City's home opener on Saturday. It was the first shutout against Colorado since a 3-0 loss December 14, 2007 at Bossier-Shreveport. It's quite a feat considering how potent the Eagles' offense is; Colorado leads the CHL in goals (85), power-play goals (34), goals-per-game (4.72) and has four of the league's top scorers.

ALL-STAR CALIBER - Defenseman Aaron Schneekloth - an All-Star starter last season - leads the CHL in plus/minus with a +22, with the next closest player at +10. He also leads CHL blueliners with three game-winning goals. He's currently tied for eighth in scoring among defensemen with 14 points (5-9-14).

MOVING ON UP - Both of the defensemen mentioned above are on the verge of moving up the team's all-time scoring list. Schneekloth is currently tied for eighth with Chris Hartsburg and Seth Leonard with 120 points. Polaski (130) is three points shy of surpassing Sean Robertson into sixth place.

ANDREW WINNER - Goaltender Andrew Penner was named the CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of October 17-23, and is one half of the Eagles' dynamic duo in net. He's in the top 10 in the CHL in wins (8, tied for 4th), GAA (2.53, 7th) and SV% (.925, 4th). Penner has allowed just a single goal in each of his past three games.

SPECIAL STATS - Despite going 0-7 in the shutout, Colorado's power play (23.61%) still leads the league by a fairly wide margin (Texas is second with 21.9%). Their penalty-killing units have also been exceptional of late, going 14-14 over the past two games, and 38-40 (95%) over the past six. Their PK now ranks third in the league at 85.62% overall.

POWER-play-FORWARD - Veteran power forward Ryan Tobler leads the league in power play goals with 10 (eight of which have come at home), and leads the Eagles in special teams points (10-7-17). Those man-advantage markers have helped him on the way to having the best shooting percentage in the CHL among players with 50 or more shots (.250).

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 1, 2008


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