NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Colorado Eagles

RiverKings Hand Colorado First Loss of Season

November 1, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - The Mississippi RiverKings defeated the Colorado Eagles, 6-2 tonight, handing the defending Northern Conference champions their first loss of the season. The third-longest winning streak in franchise history came to an end for the Eagles, as they finished the longest road trip of their season by playing a set of three-games-in-three-nights for the second consecutive weekend.

The opening period ended with three special teams goals, and a 2-1 lead for the RiverKings. Mississippi struck first with a power play marker at 7:38 when Brad Bonello cleaned up a Stephen Margeson rebound from the low slot. The Eagles answered with a power-play tally of their own, however, just under six minutes later when Scott Polaski scored from between the circles. The play developed when Greg Pankewicz threaded a pass from the left-wing boards, through the RiverKings' defense, to Kevin Ulanski in the right circle. Ulanski then sent a one-touch pass to Riley Nelson in the low slot, but his shot was blocked and Polaski put home the rebound. The goal moved Polaski into sole possession of 7th place on the team's all-time scoring list with 121 points (49-72-121).

The final goal of the period also came with the Eagles up a man, but unfortunately for Colorado, it was scored by Louis Dumont of the 'Kings. After a turnover in the neutral zone, Derek Landmesser sent Dumont in on a short-handed breakaway, and the former star of the ECHL beat Andrew Penner, 5-hole, at 17:42.

The second period saw much of the same as the Eagles were out-scored 2-1, and both a power-play and short-handed goal were scored. Adam Smyth made it 3-1 Mississippi at 4:09 after he brought the puck out of the right corner and chipped a shot past Penner on his backhand. But Colorado answered with their own short-handed marker just over three minutes later when Jay Birnie hit Erik Adams and Nelson on a 2-on-1 break, resulting in Nelson's CHL-leading second shortie of the season. The RiverKings made it a two-goal lead again with another man-advantage marker at 16:31 -- just two seconds into the power play -- when Bobby Chaumont won the faceoff back to Jeff Alcombrack, who's shot made its way through a slew of bodies in front of the Colorado cage.

The RiverKings added two more goals in the final frame, the first coming just over five minutes in, when Matt Summers skated the puck down the right-wing, met some traffic in the right circle, and flipped a pass to Jeff Nelson alone in the slot for a 5-2 lead. Mississippi added the final goal of the game about 10 minutes later when Dallas Costanzo's shot from the right circle was kicked aside by Penner, but deflected off of Matt Pierce and into the goal.

The Eagles finished their road trip, 4-1, and sit at 8-1 on the season. Their next game will be on Saturday, November 8 against the Rapid City Rush at the Budweiser Events Center. Seven of their next eight matches -- and seven of their remaining nine November games -- will be at home.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Central Hockey League message board...

Central Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2008


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.

OurSports Central