Hounds lose to Colorado

Published on March 31, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Youngstown SteelHounds News Release


Loveland, Colorado - A great effort and a solid first period wasn't enough for the Youngstown SteelHounds who dropped Game Two of their best-of-seven series versus the Colorado Eagles by a score of 7-4. The Eagles used four second period goals and three third period markers to upend the Hounds gaining a two games to none advantage. The series now shifts back to Youngstown for three straight games that the Hounds must have.

Seth Leonard was the best player on the ice creating numerous chances and scoring two goals to go with one assist and both Greg Pankewicz and Aaron Schneekloth had two goals leading the charge for the Eagles.

The Eagles started the game with a lot of pressure including a couple big hits, one on Milan Maslonka and the other on Tab Lardner. The pressure created several quality chances but David Currie, playing in his first playoff game, came up big stopping Riley Nelson and Ryan Tobler on separate occasions. Both teams had power plays in the first half of the frame but it was the SteelHounds who capitalized with Jeff Alcombrack's slap shot getting through tons of traffic in front of the net and by Paulo Colaiacovo for his first goal of the playoffs. Lardner and Brad Patterson drew the assists at 9:32 of the first period. For the third time in the series, the Eagles had a two-man advantage but failed to convert. Youngstown went into the intermission up 1-0 and outshot the Eagles 9-7 in the frame.

The Hounds came out hitting in the second period and had several scoring chances that Colaiacovo came up huge on. The first was off a breakaway on the power play by Rob Sirianni that Colaiacovo snagged out of the air and the second was on a shorthanded chance by Chris Richards whose redirection was just kicked out. A penalty on Maslonka led to the Eagles fifth power play chance and they found the equalizer with Greg Pankewicz finding the puck in a scrum in front of the net and pushing it by Currie for his first goal of the playoffs assisted by Ed McGrane and Seth Leonard at the 6:09 mark of the period.

The Eagles quickly struck again off a nifty pass from Riley Nelson who found a streaking Leonard going to the net for his first goal of the post season. Nelson and Craig Strain drew the assists at 7:26 of the second period. The Hounds would have the answer just over two minutes later tying the game at two when amateur Sirianni found Jeff Christian driving to the net for a redirected shot up and over Colaiacovo for his second goal of the playoffs and for Sirianni it was his first professional point. Alcombrack also drew an assist giving him two points on the night. Colorado regained the lead at 3-2 late in the period when Nelson blasted a shot that Currie could not control the rebound on and an opportunistic Leonard grabbed the puck and maneuvered it past the red line for his second goal of the game. Nelson received one assist and CHL Defenseman of the Year Brad Williamson the other, his first point of the series. Another outstanding Eagles d-man, Aaron Schneekloth, increased the lead with a great individual effort driving the net and shoveling one by Currie for his first goal of the post season.

Youngstown struck quickly in the third period pulling to within a goal when Lardner stole the puck from an Eagles and made a great spinning pass to Shaun Landolt who knocked the shot by Colaiacovo for his first goal of the playoffs. Lardner and Stephen Margeson drew the assists 59 second into the period. Colorado regained the two goal cushion a few minutes later when Pankewicz scoring his second goal of the night off a rebound in front of Currie. Schneekloth and Brent Hughes drew the assists at 5:10 of the third period. The bounces continued to go the way of the Eagles as a bad hop of the boards found Scott Polaski all alone in the slot where he fired a shot by Currie high on the stick side making the score 6-3.

The game got out of hand in the second half of the period. On the power play, Schneekloth struck again with a blast from the high slot for his second goal of the game making the score 7-3. With seven minutes remaining, Dallas Anderson and Jay Birnie got into a tilt and with 5:36 remaining there was a brawl in the corner to the right of Brad Roberts, who replaced Currie after the Eagles seventh goal. The scrum produced 37 total penalty minutes including an ejection for Colorado Head Coach Chris Stewart who before he exited littered the ice with sticks and water bottles. On the ensuing five minute power play for the Hounds, Matt Hanson scored his first of the playoffs with just over two minutes remaining pushing the score to 7-4 but that is as close as the Hounds would get.

Colorado finished the night outshooting the Hounds 31-30 and now are 10-1 all-time versus the SteelHounds.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2007


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