CHL Colorado Eagles

Rage, Reid Retake First Place in Division

Published on February 24, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


BROOMFIELD, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles fell 7-1 to the Rocky Mountain Rage less than 24 hours after beating their in-state rival to tie them for first place in the Northwest Division. Bryan Bridges and Scott Reid got the starts in the second of back-to-back games and it was Reid who helped push the Rage back into sole possession of first place by stopping 40 of 41 shots.

The Eagles and Rage skated to a fairly even first period - not a surprise considering that they owned the exact same record coming into the game (31-14-5) - with Colorado out-shooting the Rage 11-10, but trailing 1-0 on the scoreboard. The Eagles had their chance to score the all-important first goal of the game with a 5-on-3 power play midway through the period, but Rocky Mountain was able to squash the chance and use the momentum to convert on the power play they were awarded moments later when Brent Cullaton fired a rocket from the right point that got by Bridges at the 10 minute mark.

The game fell apart for Colorado in the second as the Rage scored four goals, tying the most allowed by the Eagles in a period all year. The period started well enough for the Eagles when Bridges absolutely robbed Trevor Weisgerber on the power play. Weisgerber was literally in the crease with Bridges down-and-out, but the goaltender flashed his glove to rob Weisgerber's top-shelf shot. Unfortunately, it was all down hill for the Eagles from that moment on. Later in the same power play, Colorado failed to clear the zone and Weisgerber sent a pass from the blue line to Nathan Rosychuk in the low slot, where Rosychuk back-handed his own rebound past Bridges for a 2-0 lead. The Eagles had a chance to answer that goal at the four minute mark with Reid out of the net, but their chance hit the post and then Daymen Rycroft knocked the net off its moorings without a penalty being called. As if to pour salt in the Eagles' wound, Weisgerber and Cullaton struck again after the ensuing faceoff when the Rage captain hit Weisgerber down low to make it 3-0.

Rocky Mountain took a 4-0 lead at 9:30 of the second when Rycroft scored on a harmless-looking shot from the right point, and Sebastien Laplante replaced Bridges in the Colorado cage soon thereafter. The Eagles' luck just kept going sour at 14:10 when Riley Nelson's stick snapped while on the penalty kill and Cullaton took advantage when he skated into the center of the zone and got off a shot that beat Laplante's glove before falling to the ice.

Aaron Schneekloth and Ed McGrane teamed up to give the Eagles a quick goal in the third. Schneekloth skated the puck down the left-wing boards and sent a pass from the corner to McGrane in front of the net just 56 seconds in. Ladislav Kouba made it 6-1 with another Rocky Mountain power play goal at 8:47 when he steered a Colt King pass past Laplante for another 5-on-3 tally; the 11 power plays awarded to the Rage were the most against the Eagles all season. Clay Plume added the seventh goal at 17:19 after Simon Watson hit him with a long pass through the neutral zone and King cut left across the slot before throwing a shot back across the grain and behind the Eagles goalie.

The lopsided win did nothing but add fuel to the already-heated rivalry as the teams, now separated by two points, will meet one more time for another set of back-to-back games March 11 and 12 before the regular season ends.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2008


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