Nelson Reaches Milestone in Eagles Win
October 17, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the President's Cup champion Texas Brahmas, 5-2, to take three of four points from their opening weekend series. Ryan McLeod netted a pair of goals and Riley Nelson recorded his 500th point in a Colorado sweater in the victory.
Colorado dominated the opening frame, building a 12-4 edge in shots, and the scoring started at 6:29 when Ryan Tobler picked up where he left of last season -- with a power-play goal. The Colorado veteran converted a cross-crease feed from Kevin Ulanski for his third point (1-2-3) of the young season.
Then, at 13:46, it took the Eagles penalty-killers just eight seconds of their first kill to net the team's first shorthanded goal of the year. McLeod won a faceoff in the left circle of his own end and Ed McGrane stormed up the ice with the puck. McLeod caught up and the two converted the rush when the first-year Eagle put home his own rebound.
The Brahmas evened play in the second period, but couldn't get a puck past Andrew Penner and the game went into the third period with Colorado up 2-0.
McLeod got his second goal of the night by smacking home a loose puck at the left side of the net just 29 seconds into the third to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead. But the Brahmas' Kevin McLeod finally got his team on the board with a shorthanded tally midway through the frame by snapping a shot high past Penner from atop the left circle.
Nelson - the Eagles' new captain - answered right back 18 seconds later with a power play blast from the high slot, giving him 500 points in his Eagles career (203-297-500). Just under a minute and a half later, AJ Gale cut the Colorado lead in half with Texas' third short-handed goal of the weekend.
Steve Haddon added an empty-netter to account for the final margin of victory and cement the home team's win. Of the 12 goals scored in the two-game set, eight came via special teams (four on the power play, four short handed).
The Eagles' next game will be against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on Friday, October 23 at the Budweiser Events Center.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2009
- Mudbugs explode in third to win - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Mavericks Swept by Rush on Opening Weekend - Kansas City Mavericks
- Amarillo Slips Past Odessa, 2-1 - Odessa Jackalopes
- One-goal game goes to Gorillas - Amarillo Gorillas
- Brahmas fall to Colorado - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Nelson Reaches Milestone in Eagles Win - Colorado Eagles
- Even Season, RiverKings Win in Wichita - Mississippi RiverKings
- Bucks Start 2-0, Beat Bees 5-3 - Laredo Bucks
- 'Bugs Rally to Knock Off IceRays - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Thunder Drops See-Saw Battle - Wichita Thunder
- Bucks Look For Two Straight Tonight - Laredo Bucks
- Oilers Defeat Mississippi 6-3 In Season Opener - Tulsa Oilers
- Allen Edges Arizona 1-0 In Goaltending Battle - Arizona Sundogs
- Rapid City Starts 2009-10 Campaign With 3-2 Win - Rapid City Rush
- Jackalopes Edge IceRays 3-2 In Shootout - Corpus Christi IceRays
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
