LOVELAND, Colo. – Over the past month the Colorado Eagles have moved up to second place in the ECHLs Mountain division and third place in the Western conference. After the first 26 games of the 2011-2012 season, the Eagles record is 15-8-3 for 33 points. Despite the personnel juggling and added travel necessary to play in this league, the Eagles used a five-game home stand in the second half of November to propel themselves to a successful second month of ECHL competition. Two wins against Bakersfield on the eighteenth and nineteenth of November followed by two wins and a loss in the three games against the Idaho Steelheads, sandwiched around the Thanksgiving holiday, raised the confidence level and reignited the Eagles fans in Colorado. The following pictorial essay encompasses the November 23, 25, and 26 contests between Colorado and Idaho at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Wearing their new third jerseys for the holiday weekend set, the Eagles won the first game 5 – 4 in an exciting overtime thriller on a nifty backhander by Defenseman Jon Landry.
Combs and the Eagles celebrate
Kyle Jones #29, slides out to defend a shot. 
The puck deflects off the foot of Chris Hepp #3, past Idaho goalie Jerry Kuhn #35. 
Jon Landry #27, scores the overtime-game winner against Jerry Kuhn. Game two went to the Steelheads, who scored three goals on five shots against Eagles netminder Kyle Jones in the first period. Colorado fought back valiantly, but the resulting 7 – 5 score went in the books as a Steelhead victory. 
Eagle Michael Forney #7, looks for a deflection in front of Steelheads goalie Jimmy Spratt. 
David Fredriksson #25, celebrates a first period goal with line-mates Chad Klassen #17, Derek Matheson #11, Derek LeBlance #11, and Steve Oleksy #24. 
* Andrew Penner #31, replaced goalie Kyle Jones to start the second period and the Eagles were able to eventually get to a 3 – 3 tie on a power play goal from Colorado defenseman, Aaron Scneekloth #23. The third game in the series heralded the return of last season’s CHL scoring leader, Kevin Ulanski #9, to the Eagles flock. Ulanski fittingly scored the game winning goal in the 6 – 3 Colorado victory. 
* Alex Penner #32, of the Eagles, gives a look to Steelhead goalie Jerry Kuhn #35. 
* Andrew Penner #31, makes a glove save on a rolling puck midway through the second period. 
* Andrew Penner #31, Kevin Ulanski #9, and Adam Cherneyko #67, celebrate the Eagles victory. Contact the author/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com 
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