Too Little Too Late Again For Eagles
January 23, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
AMARILLO, Texas - The Colorado Eagles fell, 5-4, to the Amarillo Gorillas in the first of their back-to-back games this weekend. Tuomas Lohtander stopped 45 shots in net for the Gorillas, who used a strong second period to build a lead the Eagles couldn't overcome.
Colorado got on the board first when their power play capitalized on its only chance in the opening period. At 6:18, Ed McGrane got the puck from Aaron Schneekloth at the right point and snapped a shot past Lohtander from inside the right circle.
But just 66 seconds later, Amarillo countered when Joe Guenther got his fourth goal of the season against the Eagles as he knocked home an Erik Felde rebound from the low slot to tie the game. Colorado's penalty-killing units stood strong the rest of the period, stopping all three of the Gorillas' chances to keep the game tied heading into the first intermission.
Amarillo out-scored Colorado 3-0 in the second period to take a 4-1 lead into the third. Shaun Arvai made it 2-1 just 56 seconds into the period when he threw the puck on net from the left point and it was deflected down low and past the Eagles' netminder.
The home team's lead grew again at 15:13 after Guenther created a turnover in front of the benches and found Jason Beeman alone at the point. Beeman then skated down the slot and beat Mole to make it 3-1. And exactly 60 seconds later, Gordon Bell dug the puck out of the right corner and swooped through the slot untouched before backhanding the biscuit into the net.
But the Eagles would not go quietly as they attempted a comeback in the final period. They failed to score on over a minute's worth of 5-on-3 play, as Lohtander gloved save after save early on in the third. But midway through -- moments after the power-plays expired -- Steve Haddon picked up a goal from the doorstep to cut Amarillo's lead in half at 4-2.
The Gorillas, however, tallied again at 11:55 when Stuart MacRae scored from in close on the power play after Mole had been knocked down in the crease. The Eagles proved resilient though as Fraser Filipic scored just over a minute and a half later by putting home an Adam Hogg rebound.
And with just under three minutes left in the period, McGrane got his second power-play goal of the game to trim Amarillo's lead to just 1. That was all, however, as Colorado couldn't get another goal despite pulling Mole for an extra attacker as time expired.
The two teams will meet again in less than 24 hours when the play an afternoon game Sunday. Following that affair, they will both travel to Loveland, Colo. for their third game in a row against each other on Wednesday.
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