Eagles set to face the Thunder in ECHL Conference Quarter Finals

LOVELAND, Colo. – If past performances are indicative of future results the Colorado Eagles and the Stockton Thunder are destined to engage in a very evenly matched opening round series in this season’s playoffs.
 
Colorado, with home ice advantage in the best of 5 series, has a slight edge having won five of the nine match-ups including four of the six games at the Budweiser Events Center while Stockton has won two of their three regular season contests on home ice at the Stockton Arena.
 
With Colorado missing four (possibly five) of its top eight scorers due to a combination of call ups and injury Coach Chris Stewart has scrambled to recruit additional quality players to fill out the Eagles playoff roster.
 
Chad Costello who was injured in a knee on knee collision in Alaska on March 10 was lost for the season and playoffs although his 76 points in only 37 regular season games is still best on the team and fourth overall in the league.
 
A nasty kneeing hit on team Captain and fourth leading scorer for the Eagles, Riley Nelson, raised concerns about his ability to play in the playoffs. Although Nelson is traveling with the team to Stockton and will most likely be available to play.
 
The high scoring call ups missing from the post-season include fifth on the scoring list – Michael Forney with 51 points. He was called up to Eagles affiliate St. Johns Ice Caps of the AHL and subsequently traded to the Houston Aeros after playing in 53 games for Colorado.
 
Sixth on the Eagles scoring list after only 23 games played in Colorado is Jack Combs who is now with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. Combs was not included in the Worcester clear day roster so his playoff chances are in doubt at this point.
 
Offensive defenseman, Jon Landry, who’s stellar efforts with the Eagles earned him a spot on the AHL roster of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers is still Colorado’s eighth leading scorer with only 35 games in an Eagles jersey.
 
As tough as those players are to replace, to Coach Stewart’s credit and the scouting connections he has in the hockey world, the Eagles have found several gems to add to the roster in the past month.
 
Isaac Smeltzer is a rookie defenseman with Major Jr. experience in the WHL, BCHL as well as four years playing for Brock University of the CIS.
 
To shore up the forward corps of rookies, Teegan Moore and Jordan Baker were added late in March. Moore, who’s pedigree includes four and half seasons with the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings and a season and a half with the Portland Winter Hawks followed by a 5 year stint at the University of Alberta has amassed 5 points in his first seven games with the Eagles.
 
Baker, the speedster who played three years with the Olds Grizzlies if the AJHL and four years with Michigan Tech of the WCHA had his best collegiate season this year with 10 goals 18 assists for 28 points along with a whopping 69 penalty minutes.
 
Savvy Coach Stewart knows that one of the keys to making a strong playoff run is a healthy and talented goalie corps. Towards that end Robby Nolan, an old foe from the CHL, was brought in to add to the goalie rotation in early March. Unfortunately he was injured in his third game as an Eagle and was not included on the playoff roster .
 
Undaunted the Colorado staff found another promising rookie to put in the net. Twenty one year old Damien Ketlo has played in the BCHL with Prince George Spruce Kings and and the WHL with the Regina Pats and the Lethbridge Hurricanes while developing an effective hybrid style in goal. Ketlo’s Eagle debut earned him a shutout victory that insured the Eagles home ice advantage in the Conference Quarterfinals series.
 
With these new pieces in place and the continued strong showing from the stalwarts including forwards Steve Haddon, Kevin Ulanski, Joey Sides, Aaron Slattengren, Liam Huculak, Alex Penner, Patrick Cey and defensive standouts Aaron Schneekloth, Luka Vidmar, Kyle Peto, Jason Beatty, Jake Marto, Gord Brunett along with stellar goaltending from Kyle Jones  the Colorado Eagles are looking for a long and productive run to the 2012 ECHL  Kelly Cup playoffs.  
In a surprising turn of events, goalie Andrew Penner was released by the Colorado Eagles on April 2 along with forward Adam Chorneyko and rookie defenseman Brennan Yadlowski was signed by the team.
 
The playoff schedule is as follows:
Game 1 – Tuesday, April 3 Stockton Arena 8:00 P.M. MST
Game 2 – Wednesday, Aril 4 Stockton Arena 8:00 P.M. MST
Game 3 – Friday, April 6 Budweiser Events Center 7:05 P.M. MST
Game 4 – Saturday, April 7 Budweiser Events Center 7:05 P.M. MST
Game 5 – Monday, April 9 Budweiser Events Center 7:05 P.M. MST
(Games 4 and 5 if needed)
 
Contact the author/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com