CHL Colorado Eagles

Urquhart's Hat Trick Leads Sundogs to Game One Win

Published on May 2, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs rode a Cory Urquhart hat trick and seven power plays to a 6-4 win over the Colorado Eagles in Game One of the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals. Offense ruled in the first playoff meeting between the two teams, as three players (Riley Nelson, Urquhart and Alex Leavitt) had at least three points on the night.

Both teams exchanged unsuccessful power plays in first four minutes of a fairly even first period of play with plenty of pressure from both sides. Nelson got the Eagles on the scoreboard first when he snapped a Scott Polaski pass by Robert McVicar from between the left circle and the crease at 7:26. But the Sundogs answered right back, just over a minute later, when Dan Laperriere knocked home a Mark Kolanos blast to tie the game back up. But at 12:14, Nelson helped put Colorado on top again when he worked a quick 2-on-1 with Jason Beatty before the defenseman scored his first professional playoff goal from the low slot.

The Sundogs came out blazing in the second period, scoring two goals in the first 1:11. On a delayed penalty, Steve Rymsha swooped in on the backdoor to tap the puck into a half-empty net and knot the game up at 2. Then just 29 seconds later, Urquhart got his CHL-leading 14th goal of the playoffs when he blew a shot past Sebastien Laplante from the left circle, giving Arizona two goals on their first two shots of the period. Momentum began to level and then swing in the Eagles' favor midway through the frame and at 15:18, Brad Williamson evened the score again when he skated down into the right-wing circle and beat the Sundogs' netminder with a sweeping shot.

Arizona got their lone man-advantage marker of the game at 7:15 of the third (it was their fourth power play in a row) when Leavitt knocked in a rebound from right in front of Laplante. Urquhart then got his second of the night at 10:56 when he sent a shot through traffic from the right circle following a faceoff win. He then notched his third of the game at 17:10 when he skated the puck up the right-wing boards and into the offensive zone before snapping a shot high on the Eagles' netminder. Williamson notched his second goal of the game with just over a minute left - with Colorado on the power play for the first time since early in the second period - when he snapped a shot home from the high slot. But it was too little, too late for a short-benched Eagles squad tormented by Arizona power-plays all night long.

The Eagles will look to rebound in Game Two on Saturday, May 3, before returning to the Budweiser Events Center on Wednesday, May 7.

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Central Hockey League Stories from May 2, 2008


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