Eagles battle Rush for 104 minutes before winning Game 4

LOVELAND, Colo. – In an epic battle between two very well matched teams, the Colorado Eagles and the Rapid City Rush played the game that their fans and coaches have been waiting to see.
With minimal penalties yet still great hitting, amazing passing and scoring opportunities, but most of all incredible goaltending, this game was one for the record books.
Aside from being the longest game in franchise history at 104 minutes and 35 seconds, it was also the Colorado Eagles’ 400th win in combined regular seasons and playoffs.
Game 4 of the Turner Conference Finals had a whole different feel than the previous three games in the best-of-seven series where a lack of discipline and chippy play overshadowed the skill game that each team can bring.
In period one, a total of five penalties were called with Colorado having to kill three and the Rush killing off two. Shots were even at 16 each and surprisingly – no goals were scored.
The second period saw four penalties whistled with each team responsible for two minor infractions.
With Colorado’s Matt Glasser in the penalty box at 10:53 Scott Wray scored for Rapid City.

The second period ended with the Rush up 1-0 on their 10 shots while the Eagles tossed nine pucks at Tim Boron’s net with no results.
It was deep into the third period of play with Colorado desperately seeking the game-tying goal that flashy former Denver University Pioneer, Kevin Ulanski, found the back of the net to tie the game at 16:23.
“As the play developed I ended up being the high guy and Nelly (Riley Nelson) and Sully (Dan Sullivan) were working it down low and Nelly’s pass found me.” Ulanski said. “I saw their guy coming out to block the shot so I didn’t really shoot it hard just tried to get it over him. It was almost like a flop shot. Sully did a good job getting in front of the net so the goalie couldn’t see it and we were lucky it went in for us.”
Although there were no goals scored and no penalties called the first overtime period was an exciting period of hockey. With lots of scoring chances on 14 shots from the Eagles and 12 for the Rush, it certainly seemed as if someone would end it quickly. The Eagles came close when Ulanski was awarded a penalty shot after Daymen Rycroft was hauled down from behind on a breakaway attempt. “I felt confident going in to it but the one problem is that Boron was here with us earlier in the year so he has faced me before and maybe I should have switched it up a little bit.” Ulanski said. “I thought I had him down but I couldn’t elevate it up enough to get it by him. He (Boron) played a great game – both of them did (Boron and Jones).”
Another overtime period was needed and this time the Rush had more shots and the better chances as Eagles defenseman and game three Rush nemesis, Joe Grimaldi was called for two minor penalties. Killing those penalties and keeping the score tied gave Colorado a huge boost.
“The ref we had tonight was calling it really tight so we just stuck together as a team, that’s the main thing, you know we are really tight on and off the ice and it shows.” Grimaldi said. “We are just relentless in our work ethic – we never stop. It comes from the top with Stewie (Coach Chris Stewart) all the way down.”
Again, no goals were scored in the second overtime period and the game moved into its third extra frame.
With every player on the ice starting to feel the effects of playing so many extra minutes it was only a matter of time before someone blinked. Fortunately for the Eagles it was Rapid City’s Boron who allowed the game-winner on a throw-the-puck on-net-and-hope play by rookie Adam Cherneyko.
“I saw that corner and he was getting tired as well I guess,” Cherneyko said. “All I can say is that I saw that open corner and I put it there; I guess if you don’t shoot you don’t score.”
The Rush goal tender, Tim Boron, faced 70 shots and stopped 68, earning him the game’s third star.
In the final tally, Eagles netminder Kyle Jones faced 61 shots from the Rush and allowed one goal for the second star. Although a bit of a surprise start, considering the good work from Andrew Penner in the playoffs to date, Jones was more than up to the challenge.
“History has shown lately the guy who wins stays in but I guess they wanted to keep one guy fresh, so I was fresh and I got the start. We’ll see what happens on Saturday.” Jones explained.
Coach Stewart had this to say about the goalie rotation. 
“There are multiple reasons why I started Jones and the key reason is – if we went to a seven-game series and the amount that one goal tender would have to play, if it did go seven games, that would be far too much. I felt that if I was going to do it – tonight would have to be the night to spread the wealth around, so that was the idea behind it.”
The number one star was awarded to the game-winning goal scorer, Adam Chorneyko, who continues his scoring streak to 3-6-9 over the past six games and remains the team’s leading scorer in the playoffs with 15 points.
With the Eagles leading the series three games to one, Game 5 will be played Saturday May 7th at the Rushmore Arena in Rapid City, S. D. Contact the writer/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com