CHL Colorado Eagles

Panks' HT Leads Eagles to Best Start Ever

October 24, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles defeated the Arizona Sundogs, 7-5, behind the strength of a Greg Pankewicz hat trick and a five-point night by Riley Nelson (the second of his Colorado career). It was the first meeting between the two clubs since last season's President's Cup Finals. Morgan Cey got his second start in net for the Eagles, letting in just one goal at even strength.

Colorado got the first goal of the game for the first time in the young season with their league-leading tenth power-play tally. Just five seconds into their first full power play of the period, Aaron Schneekloth threw a shot on net from the point and Ryan Tobler tipped it in for his fourth goal in as many games. The Eagles made it 2-0 with their first short-handed marker of the season at 14:06 when Nelson broke free along the left wing and sent a crossing pass from the left circle to Kevin Ulanski in the right circle, and the University of Denver alumni buried the puck past Joel Gistedt. Arizona cut the Colorado lead in half with a late power-play goal of their own - on their fourth man-advantage chance of the period - when Karl Sellan deflected a Chris Bartolone shot from the left point past Cey.

The Eagles quickly made it 3-1 with a goal just over a minute into the second period after a turnover at the Arizona blue line led directly to Nelson's second goal of the year after he and Ulanski perfectly executed a quick give-and-go for the duo's second goal of the game. And Tobler got his second goal of the game with Colorado's second power-play tally under a minute and a half later after Konrad Reeder slipped past two checks along the Eagles' bench and buzzed into the Arizona zone before angling toward the net and dishing a pass to the power forward on the doorstep.

The Sundogs cut the Colorado lead in half again with another power-play goal at 8:49. While working a full two minute 5-on-3 opportunity, Cey lost his stick and it was kicked to the corner by Joel Irving; Irving was then able to beat the Eagles' netminder from the left side of the crease for an easy goal. Arizona added another man-advantage marker - their third of the game and third overall - at 18:59 when Bartolone cashed in with a backdoor goal off of a three-on-two rush. But Colorado answered just 50 seconds later - with 11 seconds left in the frame - when Nelson sent a pass from the right boards to the hashes and Pankewicz stepped into an absolute bomb of a shot. Gistedt was able to get a pad on it, but it had enough force to still make it into the net and give the Eagles a two goal lead after two periods.

The Eagles' captain got his second goal in a row 4:43 into the third on Colorado's third power-play goal of the night. Ulanski took a lead pass from Nelson heading out of the defensive zone and swung down the right wing boards before sending a pass across the top of the circles where Pankewicz blasted a one-timer high past Gistedt. The veteran forward had a great chance for a natural hat trick just over a minute later when he broke in alone on the Sundogs' netminder, but the second round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes last year came out to challenge and was able to poke-check the puck off of Pankewicz's stick.

Irving got Arizona back on the board with his second goal of the night by again taking advantage of an Eagle without his stick. With Nelson stick-less after breaking his blade, the Sundogs' forward skated around him and was able to clean up the loose puck sitting in the low slot for the Sundogs' first and only even strength goal of the game. And at 17:10, Jason Visser made the game interesting by trimming the Eagles' lead to just 1 when he cleaned up a garbage goal for Arizona's fourth power-play score.

Pankewicz was able to net his seventh hat trick as an Eagle - the 18th in franchise history - with a toss into an empty Arizona net as time ticked down, ensuring Colorado it's first 4-0 start ever.

The Eagles will play the Amarillo Gorillas on Saturday, October 25 in the first contest of a five-game road trip. Their next game at the Budweiser Events Center will Saturday, November 8 against the Rapid City Rush.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics



Central Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2008


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