CHL Colorado Eagles

Lubbock stages late comeback to beat Eagles in OT

Published on March 17, 2005 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, CO – Anders Strome scored with 24.5 seconds remaining in the game, and Nolan Graham got the game-winner in overtime to give the Lubbock Cottons Kings a 4-3 victory of the Colorado Eagles. Lubbock out shot the Eagles 23-0 in the third period and overtime, and had 48 shots on goal in the win. Those 48 shots marked the most a team has ever put on goal against the Eagles in franchise history. The Eagles played their sixth straight game with 13 skaters and the fatigue finally started to show in the final two periods. Paulo Colaiacovo made 44 saves in the defeat, and his counterpart Lance Lesie stopped 17 of the Eagles 20 shots.

Colorado got on the board seven minutes into the first period. Darren Shakotko took a penalty for high sticking at the 6:27 mark of the first period. On the ensuing power play, the Eagles gained control of the puck in the Cotton Kings zone. Sean Robertson, from along the right wing boards, passed the puck up to Jesse Cook who took a shot from the top of the point. Karlis Zirnis was camped in front of the net, he redirected Cook's shot, Lance Leslie gave up a rebound and Zirnis drove home the rebound for the power play goal and a 1-0 lead. The Eagles took a 2-0 lead on a goal from an unlikely person, Aaron Grosul lit the lamp for just the second time this season. Ryan Tobler had the puck picked from him near the net, and Grosul was there to slap it from just inside the right wing face off dot. That goal, at the 18:52 mark was the last of the first period. The Eagles out shot Lubbock 14-13 in the period, and were 1-1 on the power play. Colorado killed both of Lubbock's power play opportunities.

Lubbock put the pressure on in the second period, out shooting the Eagles 14-6. David Seitz put the Cotton Kings on the board at the 3:10 mark when he flicked the puck past Colaiacovo in a scrum in front of the net, it was a power play goal. Emerik Olauson tied the game up on a great individual effort. He took the puck on a one-on-one with Brad Williamson, made Colaiacovo to commit to his left, then spun around and scored his 11th goal of the season. The Cotton Kings kept wearing down the Eagles bench, but Colorado took advantage of one of the few chances they were given in the period. Kevin McDonald dumped the puck along the right wing boards, it hit the linesman and went right to the tape of Riley Nelson who slapped a shot from the top of the slot that beat Leslie stick side. The Eagles took the 3-2 lead into the intermission.

The Cotton Kings dominated the third period of play, and didn't allow an Eagles shot the whole period. It marked the first time in Eagles history they have been held without a shot in an entire period. The Kings were outshooting Colorado 16-0 for the first nineteen minutes of the period, but it was the 17th and final shot that finally tied the game. With 25.5 seconds remaining in the game and an extra attacker on the ice, Lubbock's Anders Strome took a rink wide pass from Matt Turek and one-timed into the net to force the overtime period.

The Cotton Kings continued to work hard in the overtime period, and their work paid off 2:01 into the extra frame when Nolan Graham scored the game winning goal on an assist by Matt Turek, his fourth of the game, and Jan Melichercik. The win helped out the Cotton Kings hopes of making the playoffs. They now need just one more win in their final two games to claim the final spot in the Southern Conference.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2005


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