Frustrating Loss Makes Three in a Row For Eagles
February 17, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
RAPID CITY, S.D. - The Colorado Eagles lost 4-3 to the Rapid City Rush, marking their longest losing streak of the season at three games. The frustrating defeat came in a game that saw Colorado hit five posts, have a goal waived off and out-shoot Rapid City 18-4 in the final period.
The Eagles got on the board first, at 1:11, on a beautiful play all-around. Scott Polaski sent a long breakout pass from the defensive zone to Brett Hammond (playing in his first game since Jan. 24) who left a drop-pass for Adam Hogg after entering the Rush zone. Hogg then snapped a pin-point shot into the upper right corner of the net past Miguel Beaudry. Rapid City answered with a power-play goal at 9:36 when a wide open Matt Zultek backhanded a rebound into the net from the top of the crease. Morgan Cey made several strong saves the rest of the period to keep it 1-1 after one.
Rapid City scored three goals in the second -- two off Colorado turnovers -- to take a 4-2 lead into the third period. The Rush's first goal came at 3:40 after Ed McGrane lost the puck entering the offensive zone, springing a rush the other way where Derek LeBlanc beat Cey from the left circle. But McGrane atoned for the mistake less than three minutes later when he burst down the right wing and passed the puck to Aaron Schneekoth who cut across the slot before sending a shot on net. Greg Pankewicz was camped out on the doorstep and jammed the rebound home for his league-leading 30th goal.
The Rush added two more goals midway through the frame, with the first coming at 8:04 after Jason Goulet fished the puck out of a pileup in the left corner and found Mark DeSantis in the slot. Then, at 12:07, Rapid City capitalized on another Eagles turnover and LeBlanc's pass from the right circle off the ensuing rush was deflected past Cey by Luke Fritshaw to make it 4-2.
The Eagles were forced to kill a partial 5-on-3 in the first five minutes of the third period, but the rest of the final frame was played almost exclusively in the Rapid City zone as Colorado got the final three power play chances. The Eagles thought they had made it a one-goal game midway through the period when Ryan Tobler scored on their second power play of the third, but referee Dan Dreger lost sight of the puck and blew the play dead prematurely. That misfortune would come back to bight Colorado when Tobler scored on their third man-advantage chance -- this time officially -- at 16:48, but it was too little, too late. The goal tied him with Pankewicz for the league lead at 30.
Colorado returns to the Budweiser Events Center for a weekend set against the Rocky Mountain Rage on Friday and Saturday. A sweep of those games would give the Eagles their sixth consecutive Northwest Division championship.
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