CHL Colorado Eagles

Mole Nets Eagles' Second SO in a Row

Published on February 26, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Arizona Sundogs, 2-0, as the Northern Conference squad secured its second shutout in a row (and second of the season). Doug Groenestege was stellar in net for Arizona, but it was Mike Mole who played a perfect game, stopping all of the 28 shots he faced.

The shutout was the 30th in the franchise's regular season history. Ironically, the team had back-to-back shutouts last season as well on March 14 and 15.

In the first period, the Eagles controlled much of the play when the two teams were skating at even strength -- holding the Sundogs without a shot for nearly 10 minutes at one point -- as they built a 16-9 edge in shots after 20 minutes of play. The Sundogs were able to close that gap with an extended power play, but Colorado kept them off the scoreboard during a full two minutes of 5-on-3 during a four-minute power play.

The second period was played more evenly, but Colorado was finally able to crack the scoreboard 11:31 in when Ryan Tobler -- stationed alone to the left of the net -- tapped in a Riley Nelson feed from the high slot. The Eagles would take that 1-0 lead into the third period, owning a season record of 25-1-2 when leading after two periods of play.

Ed McGrane -- red hot right now -- made it 2-0, 5:22 into the final frame, as he took a pass from Jay Birnie cruising through the slot and put home his own rebound. Meanwhile, it took the Sundogs eight minutes to register their first shot of the period as they endured their second long shot-less streak of the game.

Arizona came hard, however, the second half of the third period, but couldn't solve Mole, even as the Eagles killed a penalty -- and Groenestege went to the bench for an extra attacker -- as time expired.

Colorado now heads to Rapid City for the first game of a home-and-home series on Saturday (the second game is in Loveland on Sunday); the Eagles trail the Rush by a single point (75-74) in the Northern Conference. In their last trip to Rapid City, Andrew Penner carried a shutout into overtime before Derek LeBlanc scored 42 seconds into the extra session.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2010


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