The Eagles fell to the K-Wings 2-1 in overtime last night. Clarke Saunders returned from injury and started in net for Colorado. He looked a bit rusty, but overall had a good game. Took a blow to the head that knocked his helmet off, but didn't look any worse for the wear. The overtime goal was a 2 on 1 rush where Saunders blocked the first shot, but let the rebound bounce right onto the tape of Patrick Kennedy for the game winner with 24 seconds left in OT.
Darryl Bootland returned and was his usual feisty self. He also looked rusty. He took a big hit into the boards and was a little slow to get up, but finished the game. His spark is much needed on this Colorado team right now.
Colin Joe also returned from injury and scored the only Eagles goal of the night on a nice pass from Chris Knowlton.
The Eagles looked like they had a pretty good jump in their step for most of the game, but didn't look very smooth with the lineups being changed due to the return of the injured players. You could tell they hadn't been playing together lately, as there were quite a few passes that were just off enough to slow down charges into the zone. Hopefully the rust will shake off soon.
Calgary and Adirondack both lost last night, keeping both teams on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. Calgary is off tonight and playing Sunday at the Central Division leading Nashville Predators. Adirondack is at home tonight against Oklahoma City. They continue to have injuries, with another forward out for the season, and a 2nd forward out with concussion symptoms.
The Eagles look to rebound tonight in game 2 of the 3 game set against Kalamazoo. Colorado is now on a season high 5 game losing streak and must start winning now, or the playoffs will start on the road for them. Idaho and Ontario both won last night to pull an additional point ahead of the 3rd place Eagles. Idaho is at Utah tonight and Ontario is at Bakersfield.
Tonight the Eagles will raise to the rafters the jersey of Ryan Tobler. "Tobes" was a fan favorite and is in the top 3 or 4 of most Eagles stats in their history. Here are some numbers:
416 points (4th)
182 goals (3rd)
234 assists (5th)
940 PIM (3rd)
Tobler also played 4 games for the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning in 2001-02 recording no points and 1 fight.
His jersey retirement is well deserved and long overdue. It will be nice to see him in the building tonight one last time. Here is a link to his only NHL fight (look how young he looks!).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmZaKm6nYAI
Colorado must step up and get a win tonight. No excuse for losing at home on Ryan Tobler night. Coach Chris Stewart usually makes sure that the team knows that they do not lose on nights like this, so I expect to see 110% effort out there tonight.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Some Quick Notes
Here's a few quick notes before I head out to the game:
Darryl Bootland has been activated from reserve. Just in time to play against his brother, Head Coach Nick Bootland of the K-Wings.
Aaron Crandall has been placed on reserve. Looks like the return of Saunders in net tonight. That also means the rookie on the ATO , Jacob DeSerres, will be the backup tonight.
Trent Daavettila leads the Eagles with 64 points in 49 games.
Matt Caria leads the K-Wings with 47 points in 56 games.
Our old friend Jean Bourbeau will be wearing #20 for Kalamazoo tonight. If you don't remember him, you can watch this.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsFywoS8pP8
Radio commentary from another old friend of ours, Tory Holt.
Colorado is currently 3rd in the Pacific Division, tied with Ontario in points, but the Reign have played one less game. Ontario is at Bakersfield tonight.
Darryl Bootland has been activated from reserve. Just in time to play against his brother, Head Coach Nick Bootland of the K-Wings.
Aaron Crandall has been placed on reserve. Looks like the return of Saunders in net tonight. That also means the rookie on the ATO , Jacob DeSerres, will be the backup tonight.
Trent Daavettila leads the Eagles with 64 points in 49 games.
Matt Caria leads the K-Wings with 47 points in 56 games.
Our old friend Jean Bourbeau will be wearing #20 for Kalamazoo tonight. If you don't remember him, you can watch this.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsFywoS8pP8
Radio commentary from another old friend of ours, Tory Holt.
Colorado is currently 3rd in the Pacific Division, tied with Ontario in points, but the Reign have played one less game. Ontario is at Bakersfield tonight.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Trickle Down Economics
Well, I learned my first blogging lesson yesterday: Don't post something unless you hear it from a reliable source. The other day I posted that Taylor Vause and Colin Bowman might be back this week. Well, the information I got was second hand, and it was pointed out to me that there were no conversations about Vause coming back this week. Apparently the original message was that they could be back when and if their AHL teams are out of the playoffs. Lesson learned. But that does bring up something I wanted to write about. The affiliation between Calgary, Adirondack and Colorado, and how playoff implications for each team can and will affect the Eagles roster.
As of this afternoon, Calgary sits in 3rd place in the Pacific Division. The top 3 teams in each division make the playoffs, along with the next 2 teams with the best record in the wild card spots. Calgary is idle tonight, and if the L.A. Kings win tonight, that will bump Calgary into 9th place and out of the playoffs with 8 games to go. The NHL regular season and the ECHL regular season end at the same time. The AHL regular season extends one week past the other 2 leagues. So essentially, if Calgary misses the playoffs, they have 2 forwards (Granlund and Ferland) who are eligible to be sent to Adirondack. That could possibly bump someone down to the Eagles depending on who is injured in Adirondack, and where they are in the standings.
Adirondack is sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference of the AHL. The 3 division winners in each conference make the playoffs followed by the 5 next best teams. Adirondack is 2 points out of a playoff spot with 12 games to go. They currently have 17 forwards, 11 defensemen and 4 goalies on the roster. Injuries are 1 goalie, 1 D-man and 3 forwards (1 forward is on paternity leave). One of the healthy goaltenders is an amateur, which means Carr is the backup until Joni Ortio gets healthy, which would probably be after the first round of the ECHL playoffs.
There are also several forwards in Adirondack that are on amateur contracts, so Vause will probably not sit behind them. We wont see Brett Kulak back unless the flames miss the playoffs, and even then they may not take a chance on injury by sending him back here. He has been playing well up in the A.
With the AHL Western Conference playoffs coming down to the wire, I think it's most likely that the Eagles won't see anyone from them until the end of the ECHL regular season, if not longer. If Adirondack makes the playoffs, that could push out possible reassignments until the ECHL Conference Finals. But with the good relationship the Eagles have had so far with their affiliates, you never know.
Colin Bowman is on a PTO with the Iowa Wild of the AHL. PTO's are 25 games maximum. After that, the player can be signed to another PTO, to a standard contract, or released. A player on a PTO can be released at anytime during that PTO. Bowman has played 15 games so far, so he only has 10 to go before Iowa has to make a decision. Seeing how Iowa is out of the playoffs with 11 games to go, Colorado could possibly see him at any time, the latest would be after the first round of the ECHL playoffs.
All of this, including the injuries Colorado is suffering through right now, will greatly affect the team the Eagles will be icing in the playoffs. With a huge 3 game series this weekend, the Eagles need to dig deep and pull a nice 6 point rabbit out of their hat.
As of this afternoon, Calgary sits in 3rd place in the Pacific Division. The top 3 teams in each division make the playoffs, along with the next 2 teams with the best record in the wild card spots. Calgary is idle tonight, and if the L.A. Kings win tonight, that will bump Calgary into 9th place and out of the playoffs with 8 games to go. The NHL regular season and the ECHL regular season end at the same time. The AHL regular season extends one week past the other 2 leagues. So essentially, if Calgary misses the playoffs, they have 2 forwards (Granlund and Ferland) who are eligible to be sent to Adirondack. That could possibly bump someone down to the Eagles depending on who is injured in Adirondack, and where they are in the standings.
Adirondack is sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference of the AHL. The 3 division winners in each conference make the playoffs followed by the 5 next best teams. Adirondack is 2 points out of a playoff spot with 12 games to go. They currently have 17 forwards, 11 defensemen and 4 goalies on the roster. Injuries are 1 goalie, 1 D-man and 3 forwards (1 forward is on paternity leave). One of the healthy goaltenders is an amateur, which means Carr is the backup until Joni Ortio gets healthy, which would probably be after the first round of the ECHL playoffs.
There are also several forwards in Adirondack that are on amateur contracts, so Vause will probably not sit behind them. We wont see Brett Kulak back unless the flames miss the playoffs, and even then they may not take a chance on injury by sending him back here. He has been playing well up in the A.
With the AHL Western Conference playoffs coming down to the wire, I think it's most likely that the Eagles won't see anyone from them until the end of the ECHL regular season, if not longer. If Adirondack makes the playoffs, that could push out possible reassignments until the ECHL Conference Finals. But with the good relationship the Eagles have had so far with their affiliates, you never know.
Colin Bowman is on a PTO with the Iowa Wild of the AHL. PTO's are 25 games maximum. After that, the player can be signed to another PTO, to a standard contract, or released. A player on a PTO can be released at anytime during that PTO. Bowman has played 15 games so far, so he only has 10 to go before Iowa has to make a decision. Seeing how Iowa is out of the playoffs with 11 games to go, Colorado could possibly see him at any time, the latest would be after the first round of the ECHL playoffs.
All of this, including the injuries Colorado is suffering through right now, will greatly affect the team the Eagles will be icing in the playoffs. With a huge 3 game series this weekend, the Eagles need to dig deep and pull a nice 6 point rabbit out of their hat.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
A Little Help, Please.......
Injuries and call-ups have really affected the Eagles in the last couple of weeks. Not that other teams aren't dealing with the same thing, but here is a list of players the Eagles are missing right now:
G: Carr (Called up)
G: Saunders (Injured)
Both starting goaltenders for most of the year.
D: Gedig (injured)
D: Joe (Injured)
D: Bowman (Called up)
D: Kulak (Called up)
That is more than half a defensive roster.
F: Vause (Called up)
F: Bootland (Injured)
F: Moon (Injured)
That's a heck of a line that's missing.
9 guys is half a roster. BUT.........
The Eagles played well in Idaho this last weekend salvaging 2 OT losses for 2 points. Barring something weird, the division is pretty much Idaho's to lose. But the Eagles, with 5 of their last 7 at home, hope to secure the second spot and home ice in the first round.
Being affiliated with Calgary and Adirondack has been helpful this year, but both teams are fighting for their playoff lives and dealing with injuries and call ups themselves. Adirondack has called up 3 players from ECHL teams other than the Eagles, so it could have been a lot worse.
On a positive note, the Eagles will be retiring Ryan Tobler's jersey this Saturday night, and well deserved I might add. He was voted the CHL's "Best Power Forward" for four straight years between 2003-04 and 2006-07. The line of Tobler, Pankewicz and Nelson was a huge factor in the winning of 2 CHL championships in 2005 and 2007. The Bud Barn will be rockin' on Saturday!
The Eagles have just signed a new goaltender to an Amateur Tryout, Jacob DeSerres. I'm not sure what that means about Saunders. Hopefully he is getting close to returning. With 3 goaltenders in Adirondack, I think we could possibly see Carr back soon, but if he hasn't been sent back by now, I'm not sure what the situation is.
On a really, REALLY good note, I have heard through the grapevine that there is a possibility of seeing Vause and Bowman back this weekend.......But don't hold your breath.
G: Carr (Called up)
G: Saunders (Injured)
Both starting goaltenders for most of the year.
D: Gedig (injured)
D: Joe (Injured)
D: Bowman (Called up)
D: Kulak (Called up)
That is more than half a defensive roster.
F: Vause (Called up)
F: Bootland (Injured)
F: Moon (Injured)
That's a heck of a line that's missing.
9 guys is half a roster. BUT.........
The Eagles played well in Idaho this last weekend salvaging 2 OT losses for 2 points. Barring something weird, the division is pretty much Idaho's to lose. But the Eagles, with 5 of their last 7 at home, hope to secure the second spot and home ice in the first round.
Being affiliated with Calgary and Adirondack has been helpful this year, but both teams are fighting for their playoff lives and dealing with injuries and call ups themselves. Adirondack has called up 3 players from ECHL teams other than the Eagles, so it could have been a lot worse.
On a positive note, the Eagles will be retiring Ryan Tobler's jersey this Saturday night, and well deserved I might add. He was voted the CHL's "Best Power Forward" for four straight years between 2003-04 and 2006-07. The line of Tobler, Pankewicz and Nelson was a huge factor in the winning of 2 CHL championships in 2005 and 2007. The Bud Barn will be rockin' on Saturday!
The Eagles have just signed a new goaltender to an Amateur Tryout, Jacob DeSerres. I'm not sure what that means about Saunders. Hopefully he is getting close to returning. With 3 goaltenders in Adirondack, I think we could possibly see Carr back soon, but if he hasn't been sent back by now, I'm not sure what the situation is.
On a really, REALLY good note, I have heard through the grapevine that there is a possibility of seeing Vause and Bowman back this weekend.......But don't hold your breath.
Well, Here Goes..........
Greetings! Welcome to an unofficial blog of the Colorado Eagles. I have thought off and on for several years about writing a blog pertaining to my favorite hockey team, the Colorado Eagles. Well, I'm going to give it a shot and see how it goes.
First, let me tell you a little about myself. My Mom is from Canada and my Dad, El Paso, so I figure you can guess where my hockey genes came from. I have lived most of my life in Colorado, and was an on and off hockey fan until my friend's Dad purchased season tickets for the new IHL team in Denver, the Grizzlies. They were the farm team for the New York Islanders, and I got to see future NHL'ers like Ziggy Palffy and Tommy Salo. The coach was Butch Goring, who won 4 cups with the Islanders in the early 80's. The Grizz won the Turner Cup in '95 and I was hooked on live hockey.
The next thing you know, the Grizzlies were gone and replaced by the Avalanche who went on to win the Cup in their first year in Denver. My friend's father had purchased season tickets for the Avs after the Grizzlies left, and I was able to attend quite a few games to watch the best players in the world.
Well, after a few cups the ticket prices were too much for my buddies Dad. I couldn't nearly attend as many games as I used to, but with my son starting hockey at age 5,(he was 5 months old when the Avs won their first cup) I was starting down a path of financial destruction that most hockey parents are familiar with. I couldn't afford to go to the games.
Then one day at the rink I saw a pamphlet for a new minor league team about 40 miles north of us. 16 bucks a seat! I could swing that. 12 years, 2 leagues, 5 finals appearances, 2 championships and about 400 plus games later, I'm hooked on Eagles hockey. So we will see how the blogging thing works out....
I will write personal opinion posts and newsworthy posts. I don't really have much inside information, but I do run across things at games and through internet research that might be of interest to other fans of the ECHL and the Eagles in particular.
So feel free to leave feedback, good and bad. Any suggestions on the site or the content will be appreciated!
Game on!
First, let me tell you a little about myself. My Mom is from Canada and my Dad, El Paso, so I figure you can guess where my hockey genes came from. I have lived most of my life in Colorado, and was an on and off hockey fan until my friend's Dad purchased season tickets for the new IHL team in Denver, the Grizzlies. They were the farm team for the New York Islanders, and I got to see future NHL'ers like Ziggy Palffy and Tommy Salo. The coach was Butch Goring, who won 4 cups with the Islanders in the early 80's. The Grizz won the Turner Cup in '95 and I was hooked on live hockey.
The next thing you know, the Grizzlies were gone and replaced by the Avalanche who went on to win the Cup in their first year in Denver. My friend's father had purchased season tickets for the Avs after the Grizzlies left, and I was able to attend quite a few games to watch the best players in the world.
Well, after a few cups the ticket prices were too much for my buddies Dad. I couldn't nearly attend as many games as I used to, but with my son starting hockey at age 5,(he was 5 months old when the Avs won their first cup) I was starting down a path of financial destruction that most hockey parents are familiar with. I couldn't afford to go to the games.
Then one day at the rink I saw a pamphlet for a new minor league team about 40 miles north of us. 16 bucks a seat! I could swing that. 12 years, 2 leagues, 5 finals appearances, 2 championships and about 400 plus games later, I'm hooked on Eagles hockey. So we will see how the blogging thing works out....
I will write personal opinion posts and newsworthy posts. I don't really have much inside information, but I do run across things at games and through internet research that might be of interest to other fans of the ECHL and the Eagles in particular.
So feel free to leave feedback, good and bad. Any suggestions on the site or the content will be appreciated!
Game on!
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