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CHL Colorado Eagles

Rage Fight Back for Overtime Win, 5-4

January 19, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


BROOMFIELD, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles and Rocky Mountain Rage have combined for 20 goals in their past two contests against each other, but tonight the Rage used a Daymen Rycroft goal in the first minute of overtime to take the 5-4 victory over the Eagles in front of an announced 4,956 fans at the Broomfield Event Center.

Colorado had not scored more than one goal in the first period of any of its five previous meetings against the Rage, but that all ended tonight in a high-scoring first period that saw six total goals and the Eagles skating off the ice with a 4-2 lead. Colorado's four-goal first period tied the season high for most goals in a period (4 vs. Rocky Mountain Rage, 1/12/08), but the Rage were out to mark the Eagles record book as well, tying the fastest mark for an opponent to score a goal starting a period at 15 seconds (T. Landry, Wichita, 2/24/07).

Rocky Mountain's David Morelli got the scoring started just 15 seconds into the game when winger Scott Wray fired a long shot from the point, bouncing off of Eagles goaltender Bryan Bridges' glove hand, and finding Morelli in the low slot for the 1-0 lead. But just 16 seconds later Eagles' defenseman Jay Birnie knotted it all up at 1-1 as he slid the rebound off of a Riley Nelson shot through the five-hole of Rage goaltender Scott Reid. Rocky Mountain quickly bounced back to take the 2-1 lead at the 2:21 mark as some sloppy Eagles play in their own zone resulted in Wray's 21st goal of the season. A little over seven minutes later, however, Greg Pankewicz tied the game 2-2 at 9:54 when Erik Adams found him all alone in front of the net for his 12th goal of the season. At the 14:32 mark the Eagles dodged a bullet when Rocky Mountain winger Chip Dunleavy beat Bridges glove-high on a two-on-one situation, but the goal was called off as the whistle blew the play dead before the shot - Pankewicz and Daymen Rycroft were tangled up at center ice and both received 5-minute fighting majors.. A 4-on-4 situation ensued and Colorado quickly took their first lead of the game, 3-2, at 14:54. Nelson took a shot that rebounded off of Reid and found Fraser Filipic standing in front of the net to flick it in as he was falling down. Brad Williamson knocked a shot off of Reid at the 18:39 mark to give the Eagles the 4-2 lead heading into the intermission.

The second period saw the Rage attack from the onset firing shot upon shot on Bridges, but the rookie goaltender battened down the hatches, stopping all 16 Rage shots. The fast, wide open action continued with both squads missing on some golden opportunities, but the defenses tightened up and the two teams skated into the locker room with a scoreless second period and a 4-2 Eagles lead.

The third started much like the second, but this time Rocky Mountain capitalized early on a Brett Cullaton score at the 2:40 mark. Rycroft put a shot on net forcing Bridges to slide out of the crease and Cullaton rebounded the puck underneath the goal line to cut Colorado's lead to one, 4-3. Just about two minutes later the Rage's Trevor Weisgerber evened the score, 4-4, as Cullaton tallied his league-leading 50th assist of the season on the play. Cullaton dropped the puck into the right corner and Weisgerber went backhand to forehand putting the puck into the corner of the net. For the next 15-plus minutes physical play ensued. Rocky Mountain winger Colt King was tagged for tripping at 8:32 and had his night end with a misconduct penalty as he tossed his stick at referee Peter Friesema. The Eagles entered their first power play of the night, but just 16 seconds later Erik Adams received a holding penalty to end the one-man advantage. A high sticking penalty on Les Borsheim at 18:48 allowed Rocky Mountain a 5-on-4 advantage for the remaining 1:12, but the Rage could not capitalize and the teams skated into the extra session deadlocked in a 4-4 tie.

Rocky Mountain started the overtime period with a 4-on-3 advantage for the initial 48 seconds, but they didn't need it as Rycroft bounced a puck off of Brad Williamson in front of the Eagles' net just 43 seconds in to seal the victory and take a 4-2 season series edge over the Eagles.

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2008


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