CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Win 6-1 Over Blazers in Pankewicz's Return

March 13, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo.- The Colorado Eagles clinched the Northwest Division title for the fourth straight season with a decisive 6-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Blazers Tuesday night at the Budweiser Events Center. Captain Greg Pankewicz returned to the ice for Colorado and tallied two assists in his first game after missing the previous 46 contests. Ed McGrane had two goals including the game winner and added an assist and Marco Emond stopped 24 of 25 shots in net for the Eagles. The Northwest Division Champions have a 42-15-1 record for 85 points and they stand alone in first place in the Central Hockey League with a two-point lead over the Laredo Bucks. The Eagles will head to Youngstown this weekend to take on the SteelHounds for three games in three nights. They have just one more home game on the schedule on Wednesday, March 21st against the Lubbock Cotton Kings.

Ed McGrane scored the first of his two first period goals at the 3:25 mark. Colorado was on the power play, Seth Leonard kept the puck in the zone with his hustle, moved it to Chris Hartsburg who fed McGrane behind the net. McGrane took the feed and wrapped it around the net past goaltender Sean Connors. At the 7:55 mark of the period, McGrane took the puck the length of the ice with a man on his back, faked the forehand and went to the backhand for an unassisted goal. Colorado took the 2-0 lead into the intermission and they were outshooting the Blazers 16-12.

Only 32 seconds into the second period, Chris Hartsburg made it a 3-0 lead when he picked up a loose puck in the slot and flipped it past Connors. Less than one minute later, Greg Pankewicz made a centering pass to Scott Polaski and he placed the puck into the back of the net. It marked Polaski's 15th goal of the season and Pankewicz's first assist since November. Dallas Flaman made it a 4-1 game when he beat a striding Marco Emond to the puck for a shorthanded goal. Colorado again outshot the Blazers 10-4 in the period and held a 4-1 lead going into the final frame.

The Eagles added to their lead in the third period. Sean Robertson made the game 5-1 on a breakaway for his career-high 11th goal of the season. He was assisted by Brent Hughes and Brad Williamson. Finally, at the 4:18 mark of the period, Craig Strain took a pass from Ed McGrane and scored his seventh goal of the season. Greg Pankewicz notched his second assist of the game, he now has multiple points in 11 of his 12 games played this season. The Eagles killed all seven of the Blazers power plays while scoring one goal on eight chances on the power play. Final Score: Eagles 6 - Blazers 1.

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