CHL Colorado Eagles

Thunder Edge Eagles 3-2 in Shootout

Published on February 4, 2006 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Colorado Eagles Saturday night in a 3-2 shootout victory in front of 8,158 fans at the Kansas Coliseum. It took 10 shooters for the teams to decide the outcome of the most exciting game to this point of the season. Ben Murphy beat Eagles' goaltender Jeff Blair with his first ever professional goal, the game-winning goal, in their 10th attempt of the shootout. The Eagles out shot the Thunder 42-23 in the game but couldn't convert on any of their six power play opportunities. The Eagles battled back from a 2-0 deficit, but Sebastien Laplante played well between pipes stopping 40 of the Eagles 42 shots. Colorado finished their three game road trip with a 1-1-1 record and return to the Budweiser Events Center Wednesday against the same Wichita Thunder.

Travis Clayton scored the lone goal of the first period, a shorthanded goal when he received a drop pass from Jason Duda and beat Blair. The Eagles out shot the Thunder 12-6 in the period, but found themselves down 1-0.

The Thunder took a 2-0 lead on a goal by Tyler Liebel at the 9:03 mark of the second period, but the Eagles continued to fight. Matt Desrosiers scored a very important goal with under two minutes remaining in the period to cut the lead in half. Colorado again out shot the Thunder 14-10 in the period.

Colorado kept their pressure in the third period and it paid off when Riley Nelson came in on the right wing and fed Eagles captain Greg Pankewicz in the slot. Pankewicz wristed the puck passed Laplante to tie the game with under 4 minutes remaining in regulation. The game remained tied and was forced into overtime. Neither team was able to score in the overtime sending it into a shootout.

Both goaltenders played magnificiently in the overtime each only giving up one goal in the first nine shooters. Eagles forward Nick Parillo was unable to score on their 10th attempt and Ben Murphy ended on the Thunder's ensuing attempt, it was his first professional goal.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2006


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