CHL Colorado Eagles

Reid Lifts Rage Over Eagles in Divisional Contest

Published on December 26, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Rocky Mountain Rage defeated the Colorado Eagles, 3-1, to increase their lead atop the Northwest Division. The Eagles and Rage battled in a game befitting the top two teams in the Northwest, as quality scoring chances, hard hits and back-and-forth action were the theme all night. Rocky Mountain goaltender, Scott Reid, almost single-handedly won the game for the Rage by stopping 37 of 38 shots and being named the game's number one star.

In a hotly contested first period, the Rage were the only team to get on the scoreboard. At 15:45, after a turnover in the Eagles' zone, Trevor Weisgerber took the puck below the left circle, skated toward Emond and shot high on the goaltender. Emond left his feet to make the first save, but Weisgerber poked the puck past Emond once it fell to the ground. Emond -- and the Eagles -- would suffer a scare as the period came to a close. After making a couple huge saves throughout the first period, Emond was injured with under half a minute to go. When play was frozen with 16 seconds left, the Eagles' goaltender remained down for a few minutes while he was tended to by the Colorado trainer. Emond struggled mightily to get to his feet and needed assistance to get off the ice. Bryan Bridges -- making his second appearance off the bench in four games -- replaced Emond in net for the final 16 seconds.

Surprisingly (considering how he left the ice), but to the delight of the crowd, Emond was back in net to start the second. And the netminder stopped all seven Rage shots in the period as the Eagles grabbed the momentum; the Eagles out-shot the Rage 14-7 in the second frame. Colorado tied the game at one at 13:07 when Greg Pankewicz threw the puck toward the net from the right corner and Paul Esdale beat Scott Reid stick-side from the doorstep. Colorado kept the pressure up, but Reid stayed strong as both goalies continued to keep the game close.

Reid took momentum back in the third as he stopped all 12 Eagles' shots and held on for the final 41 seconds when the Eagles had a 6-on-3 advantage. David Morelli got the winning goal 3:04 in, after a big hit by Fraser Filipic behind the Eagles' net. Morelli, stationed near the left post, had three consecutive uncontested shots, and got the final one past Emond as he got the goalie moving to his left and slid the puck underneath him. Colorado had their chances to get back in the game, but went 0-3 on the power play in the third (0-4 in the game), stretching their steak of unsuccessful power play chances to an astounding 0-24. Clay Plume got the final goal of the game at 13:20 when he fired a puck past Emond from the right faceoff dot on a power play for Rocky Mountain.

The Rage now hold a 10 point lead in the division with a game in hand. The two teams will meet again January 12 at the Budweiser Events Center.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 26, 2007


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