Rugged Colorado forward Fraser Filipic scored his first two goals of the post-season Wednesday evening, pacing the Eagles to a 4-1 win and a 2-0 series lead over Laredo in Game 2 of the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals. The victory puts history clearly on the side of Colorado, as 35 of 36 teams in previous CHL/WPHL history with 2-0 series leads have gone on to win the series. The Bucks, down 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history, return home looking to use a raucous crowd at the Laredo Entertainment Center to push them to a Game 3 victory Sunday as the series shifts to South Texas. Colorado improves to a perfect 7-0 at home in the playoffs, while the Bucks hope to extend their own unblemished mark (5-0) at home with Games 3, 4 and 5, if necessary, in Laredo.

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Finals Game 2 – Laredo 1 @ Colorado 4
Colorado Leads Best of Seven Game Series 2-0

The Colorado Eagles and Laredo Bucks continued their high energy series Wednesday night with the second entertaining game in as many nights at the Budweiser Events Center. The Eagles handled all the scoring in the opening period. First, with Laredo’s Steve Weidlich in the penalty box, Riley Nelson made a nifty drop pass to teammate Mike Lephart, who wired a high wrist shot past Bucks starting goaltender Jeremy Symington. Later in the period, a defensive breakdown by Laredo found Colorado’s Fraser Filipic all alone in the slot, and Filipc responded with a quick wrist shot to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Bucks showed strong signs of life early in the second period, cutting the lead to 2-1 on a power play goal by Mark Wires. Wires picked up a loose puck off of a face-off and fired a quick snapshot by Colorado’s Tyler Weiman. Filipic, however, would help Colorado regain their 2-goal lead later on in the frame, one-timing a centering pass low the Symington’s blocker side. From that point on, Colorado focused on defensive play, and CHL MVP Greg Pankewicz extended the lead to 4-1, picking up a loose rebound to beat Symington with a dribbler through his pads.

The Bucks, already playing without steady veteran forward Serge Dube (undisclosed injury) played shorthanded much of the evening, made worse by a potential knee injury to defenseman Steve Weidlich, who needed assistance leaving the ice after an awkward collision with Colorado’s Ryan Tobler. Weidlich would return later in the contest, but both his and Dube’s availability for Game 3 Sunday in Laredo is underdetermined. The Bucks capitalized on 1 of 2 power play chances, with the Eagles also converting once, on six chances. The Eagles also held a decisive shots on goal advantage, outshooting Laredo 42-24, including 18 in the opening period.