Monday, April 21st, 2008

EAGLES CAN ADVANCE TO FINALS WITH WIN TONIGHT

The Colorado Eagles head home to one of the biggest home-ice advantages in the CHL tonight when they host the Texas Brahmas in game six of their best of seven series.  Face-off at the Budweiser Events Center is scheduled for 7:05 PM (MST).  The Eagles won game’s one and two in their series on home ice and then dropped two of three in Texas last week putting the series at a three games to two advantage for Colorado.

Game five was a classic with the Brahmas winning 3-2 in overtime.  Colorado led 2-1 at one point in the game but could not make it hold up and in the overtime Scott Sheppard completed the hat trick accounting for all the goals in the game for Texas.  Brett Jaeger made 47 saves earning the victory.

The Eagles are the defending Ray Miron President’s Cup champs and are looking to win the championship for the third time in four years and become the first to repeat as champs since the Memphis RiverKings (2002, 2003).

Sheppard has 11 goals in the playoffs tying him for the league lead with Arizona’s Cory Urquhart.  Line mate Blair Manning has three goals and nine assists in the playoffs and Anders Strome has six goals with five assists.  For the Eagles, Greg Pankewicz has six goals and six assists leading the way, while Ed McGrane has four goals with six assists. 

Northern Conference Finals (best-of-7, all times local)
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 11 – Texas 1 at Colorado 4
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 13 – Texas 0 at Colorado 2
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 16 – Colorado 2 at Texas 5
Game 4 – Fri., Apr. 18 – Colorado 3 at Texas 2
Game 5 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Colorado 2 at Texas 3 (OT) (Colorado leads series 3-2)
*Game 6 – Mon., Apr. 21 – Texas at Colorado, 7:05 PM
*Game 7 – Wed., Apr. 23 – Texas at Colorado, 7:05 PM
* - if necessary

The Arizona Sundogs host the Laredo Bucks tonight in game five of their best of seven conference finals series with the series currently all tied at two wins apiece.  Arizona won game’s one and four with the Bucks winning the middle two games thus far.  The winner of tonight’s game will be one win away from reaching the finals and thus in the driver’s seat in the series that will shift back to Laredo for game’s six and seven.

Each of the two games in Arizona have been decided by a goal as has each of the last four games at the Tim’s Toyota Center with Laredo winning three of those.

Cory Urquhart and Alex Leavitt are tied for the league playoff lead with 18 points apiece and defenseman Chris Bartolone is third with 14 points.  The leading scorer for the Bucks is Chris Stanley with six goals and seven assists.
 
Southern Conference Finals (best-of-7, all times local)
Game 1 – Mon., Apr. 14 – Arizona 6 at Laredo 4
Game 2 – Tue., Apr. 15 – Arizona 1 at Laredo 3
Game 3 – Fri., Apr. 18 – Laredo 4 at Arizona 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 19 – Laredo 3 at Arizona 4  (series tied 2-2)
Game 5 – Mon., Apr. 21 – Laredo at Arizona, 7:05 PM
Game 6 – Fri., Apr. 25 – Arizona at Laredo, 7:30 PM
*Game 7 – Sat., Apr. 26 – Arizona at Laredo, 7:30 PM
 * -if necessary