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CHL Colorado Eagles

Three-Goal Second Period Carries Eagles Over Rayz

January 4, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Colorado Eagles used a strong second period to beat the Corpus Christi Rayz 5-3. Fraser Filipic, Brad Williamson and Scott Polaski scored for the Eagles in the second and Bryan Bridges held on in the third to get his third win in three consecutive starts as the Eagles improved to 2-0-0 in the first two games of their four-game road trip.

The Eagles got off to a 2-0 start in the first period with their first goal coming short-handed at 14:39. Seth Leonard collected a Kevin Couture turnover behind the Rayz' net, but the goaltender somehow recovered in time to make a save on Leonard's shot. However, the rebound came right to Riley Nelson in the low slot and he threw it into the net for the Eagles' fourth shortie of the year. Just over a minute later, Colorado struck again. Brett Thurston collected the puck deep in his own end and muscled his way through the neutral zone before dumping the puck down the right-wing boards. Filipic got to it first and made a quick pass to Steve Haddon alone in the slot for the two-goal lead.

The second period belonged to the Eagles (Colorado out-shot Corpus Christi 20-8), but it was Corpus Christi that got on the board first. Two and a half minutes in, Joe Blaznek beat Bridges up high with a shot from the lower left circle after receiving a cross-crease pass from Geno Parrish on a breakaway. It took the Eagles less than a minute to answer that goal when Filipic deflected the puck past Couture from the doorstep. Assists went to Aaron Schneekloth and Borsheim on the play. Colorado struck again with a power play goal at 5:34. Ed McGrane and Nelson played catch at the top of the right circle before McGrane knocked the puck to Williamson along the goal line to the right of the net; Williamson's sharp-angle shot beat the Rayz' goaltender for a 4-1 lead. Colorado closed out the period with one more for good measure when Polaski - stationed in the low slot - picked up his 100th career point by burying a chance with 2.7 seconds left.

The Rayz submitted a valiant effort in the third, but their two goals were not enough to make up for their rough second period. Kevin Watters scored Corpus Christi's second goal of the night 6:31 in with a shot from high in the right circle. And at 11:45, Brad Howarth cut the deficit to 3-5 when he skated behind the defense with a burst of speed, cut across the crease from Bridges' right to left, an back-handed the puck over the sprawled-out goaltender.

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