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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Short-Benched Eagles Struggle in Stockton

December 15, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder topped a severely short-benched Colorado Eagles club, 4-1, snapping the visitors' four-game winning streak in the first of back-to-back meetings this weekend. Colorado, playing with just 13 of a typical 16 skaters due to injuries and call-ups, faced a tall task against the Thunder and the ECHL's reigning Goaltender of the Week, Cody Reichard, and their penchant for taking penalties made things even tougher as they saw Stockton for the first time since being swept out of last season's playoffs.

Colorado failed to take advantage of a pair of pair of power play chances in the first half of the opening period, then helped the Thunder on their own man-advantage late in the frame. With Stockton on their first power play of the game, Riley Nelson was called for a slash that put the home team on a two-man advantage. On that 5-on-3, Harrison Reed was able to wind up from the high slot and slam a shot past Kyle Jones to make it 1-0, 17 minutes into the first period.

The short-benched squad couldn't stay out of the penalty box again in the second stanza, and Stockton used three more power plays to help dominate the period. The Thunder out-shot the Eagles 15-9 in the frame, which saw most of the play occur in Colorado's defensive zone.

Mike Little put the home team up 2-0 with their second man-advantage marker of the game from the high slot 11 minutes into the second period. And two and a half minutes later, Matt Bergland poked home a rebound from the doorstep to make it 3-0.

The Thunder stretched their lead to 4-0, 3:30 into the final frame when Reed picked up his second score of the game by putting home a turnover from low in the right circle. With Reichard nearing his second shutout of the season, Colorado's top two scorers struck to ruin his bid at 15:37. Trent Daavettila carried the puck down the left wing and dropped a pass into the low slot where Chad Costello had his rebound put home by Jack Combs. The assist increased Costello's league lead in the category to 34 & the goal moved Combs into the league lead in the category with 18.

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