CHL Colorado Eagles

Eagles Win Opener in Shootout With Rush

Published on October 17, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Rapid City Rush in the season opener for both clubs, 7-6, in a shootout. The high-scoring, back-and-forth contest had plenty of significance for both franchises. For the Rush, it was the first regular season game in franchise history. For the Eagles, it was the first regular season game with the franchise's second head coach - Kevin McClelland. The pre-game ceremonies included the Eagles' fifth consecutive Northwest Division championship banner joining the others in the Budweiser Events Center rafters and former head coach (now just president & general manager) Chris Stewart throwing a water bottle on the ice from the bench one final time as McClelland joined him in a "changing of the guards" type of ceremony.

The Eagles opened the 2008-09 season with the forward line of Ryan Tobler-Ed McGrane-Brett Hammond, the defensive pairing of Aaron Schneekloth and Erik Adams and Andrew Penner in net. And the starting forwards made their presence felt all night long as they were the best line on the ice (accounting for seven points), with Tobler netting two goals for the second season-opener in a row.

The first period saw a pair of goals from each team, both coming in quick bursts. The Rush got on the scoreboard first at 6:39 when Chris Lipsett scored the first goal in franchise history by knocking in a rebound from the left side of the crease. The goal came on the power play, just as a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage had turned into a 5-on-4, when the player/assistant coach knocked in the loose puck that had been rattling around the goal mouth. Just over a minute later, RG Flath made it 2-0 Rapid City when his shot from low in the right circle handcuffed Penner.

Colorado answered with their own pair of goals after Riley Nelson drew a hooking penalty on a breakaway to swing the momentum at 8:14. Tobler got both goals - both on the power play - on assists from Scott Polaski and Schneekloth. His first tally came on a deflected shot from the hashes, the second one came when he beat Miguel Beaudry cleanly with a long shot from the center point as he entered the zone at 10:59.

The second period saw both goalies stiffen in net - each making several big saves - but the Rush got the lone goal of the frame. Rapid City got their second power-play marker of the evening at 16:05 when the puck was deflected to open ice in the middle of the Eagles' zone, and then picked up by Rich Hansen who tossed it toward the net. Chris Di Ubaldo, who was stationed to the right of the crease, was able to deflect it over Penner's left pad for the Rush's third goal of the night.

Colorado tied the score at 3 just 26 seconds into the third period with another power play goal. The play developed as Hammond passed the puck from behind the Rush net to Adams at the top of the right circle. The defenseman one-timed a pass to Steve Haddon in the slot, and the forward stopped the pass with his skate before spinning and sliding a shot just inside the left goal post. Adams got another assist just over a minute and a half later when he skated the puck up the right wing and found the speedy Kevin Ulanski crashing the net for a chip-in goal and a 4-3 lead.

Beaudry kept the game close for Rapid City, making some spectacular saves as the period went on - most notably on a Greg Pankewicz rocket ticketed for the top right corner - but the Eagles were able to open up a two goal lead at the 7 minute mark when Tobler circled around a defender in the left circle and sent a pass to Hammond in the low slot.

Lipsett got his second goal of the night for the Rush at 10:05 to trim Colorado's lead to 5-4 when he walked the puck in from the left point, weaving his way through the Eagles' defense, and snapped the puck past Penner for another Rapid City power play goal. And just 30 seconds later, the game was tied again when Mark DeSantis shot the puck through a maze of players from the right point.

Colorado came right back, however, scoring just as another power play expired at 13:47. McGrane's stick broke in two - with one half flying 30 feet in the air - as he attempted a slapshot from the top of the left circle, and the puck found its way to the middle of the offensive zone where Adams picked it up in a crowd and beat Beaudry with a forehand-backhand shot. The resilient Rush, though, quickly made it 6-6 at 15:11 after a Schneekloth shot from the left point was blocked, springing a rush the other way. Gio Flamminio skated the puck down the left wing, then stopped swiftly at the top of the circle before sending a pass across the ice where Garrett Prosofsky sent a shot over Penner's glove.

Regulation ended with the score tied at 6, and the five minute overtime period followed suit, forcing a shootout. Nelson started the shootout with a goal over the right shoulder of the Rush netminder for the game-winner as Penner stopped all four Rapid City shooters (Lipsett, Hansen, Di Ubaldo and Derek LeBlanc). Pankewicz added an insurance goal as the Eagles' final shooter, snapping a shot home over the blocker of Beaudry.

The two teams will meat again on Saturday, October 18 for the second of back-to-back games to open the season.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2008


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