The Central Hockey Leagues Northern Conference Finals, with the Colorado Eagles and Wichita Thunder currently deadlocked at 2 games each, resumes tonight at the Budweiser Events Center. The winner of tonights Game 5 will be in position to capture the series with another victory Wednesday in Wichita, and set up a meeting with the Laredo Bucks in the 2004-2005 Ray Miron Presidents Cup Finals. Each team has held serve on home ice through the first four games of the series, with Colorado claiming 4-2 and 4-0 wins in Games 1 and 2, and Wichita earning 4-1 and 3-0 victories in Games 3 and 4. With Colorado holding home ice advantage (hosting both tonights Game 5 and Fridays Game 7 (if necessary), the Thunder need at least one win on the road to win the series, while if the Eagles can manage to protect their home ice, they will advance. Colorado posted the top regular season home record during the regular season at 22-4-4, while the Thunder was a more than respectable 19-11-0 away from home. Game 5 is available live from Colorado on CHLTV.com, starting at 8:00 PM CST.
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Watch Game 5, Wichita @ Colorado, Live on CHLTV.com
Quotable
Chris Stewart, Colorado Coach, in the Greeley Tribune:
"We played for home-ice advantage all year long for exactly this reason. The opportunity to have that extra energy, that extra excitement, it's definitely to the players' advantage. Home-ice advantage is just that, an advantage."
Jason Flick, Wichita Goaltender, in the Wichita Eagle:
"I feel good, I don't know what else to say. I imagine it will be one heck of a game. Both teams should be raring to go. It's a three-game series now."