Head Coach Aaron Schneekloth and Assistant Coach Ryan Tobler behind the bench
LOVELAND, Colo. After a bitter ending to a very promising previous season the Colorado Eagles made a series of major changes for the 2016-2017 season in order to re-establish themselves as a competitive leader among minor pro hockey teams.
The first big change came June 7th with the announcement that iconic Eagles coach, Chris Stewart was stepping down from the head coaching position that he had held for eleven of the teams thirteen seasons. His expertise and recruiting skill continue to be a part of the team as he retained his position as General Manager and Team President.
Naming of the new head coach and assistant coach became the next order of business for GM Chris Stewart and the management staff. It did not take long to ascertain that the best man for the head coaching job was former Eagles defenseman and Assistant Coach for the last three years, Aaron Schneekloth. In another genius move Ryan Tobler also a former Eagle and the head coach of the Bentley Generals for the last three years was lured back to the Eagles as assistant coach.
Later in June the Colorado Eagles announced an affiliation with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL and their AHL affiliate the San Antonio Rampage. After going unaffiliated a few different seasons this particular local affiliation should prove to be a savvy move to foster in state loyalties.
A loss due retirement that also affected Colorado was the decision by Eagles Captain Trent Daavittla to hang up the skates after ten successful seasons as a pro – the last four with Colorado, He leaves the game not because of dwindling skills or desire to play but to be the father and husband that is difficult for an active professional hockey player. His leadership and incredible nose for the net that saw him score in excess of 1.1 points per game over his ten year pro career will be sorely missed.
With the changes both positive and negative this revamped version of the Colorado Eagles, including only 9 roster players returned from last season, opened the 2016-2017 season with their biggest current rivals The Rapid City Rush for a two game home and home weekend set.
Game one played at the Rushmore Events Center in Rapid City, South Dakota, was everything that was expected from these two teams. Skating, scoring, amazing saves adding up to a very close game is what we expect to see from these two well matched teams and that is what we got on opening night in this contest.
Casey Pierro-Zabotel who joined the Eagles after playing with the Allen Americans last season scored first for Colorado at 8:42 of the opening period with Rush forward evening the score with 1:22 left in the period.
Wearing the ‘A’ forward Darryl Bootland scored off a deflection to give the Eagles a 2 to 1
Darryl Bootland #27 scores into the abandoned net
lead at the 3:35 mark in the second period and slick puck handling rookie forward Cole Sanford tipped in a Jake Marto shot to register what would be the game winner at 12:38 of that middle period.
The Rush countered with another late period goal this one from Josh McDonnell to account for the 3 to 2 goal differential going into the final period of play.
Only one goal was scored in the last twenty minutes as Colorado Native and Denver University Alumni, Luke Salazar, breached the empty net with just one minute left in the game to give the Eagles the 4 to 2 win.
After the teams made the 390 mile trip between Rapid City and Loveland It was time for the Eagles portion of the home and home which featured the Colorado Eagles sold out home opener at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Co.
A ceremony to hoist the Divisional Banner earned for last season’s efforts was the highlight of the pregame activities and the introduction of the latest version of the Eagles team included acknowledgment of the changing of the guard behind the bench and defenseman Sean Zimmerman as the Eagles new team Captain.
The second game between these two rivals was a crazy scoring fest as the Eagles began the scoring once again with goals from another newcomer Matt Garbowsky at 11:24 and Michael Sdao, also new on defense, at 14:54 to take a 2 to 0 lead in to the first intermission.
In the second frame a determined Rush team came alive in the second half of the period scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes with the first coming from Hunter Fejes and Brett Perlini scored less than 2 minutes later to even the score at 2 to 2 before Eagles sniper Johnny Lazo put the home team back up 3 to 2 at 14:24 of the middle period.
Lindsay Sparks made it a tie game again with power play goal stuffed past Eagles netminder Nathan Liewen for the 3 to 3 score to start the final period.
Ist star of the game Matt Garbowsky
In the wild third period the Rush managed to take the lead for the first time when Brendan Walker directed a puck into the Eagles goal at 11:55 but that was a short lived lead as less than 12 seconds later Garbowsky scored to make it 4 to 4.
Darryl Bootland scored the game winner off a rebound at 14:54 and Cole Sanford slid one past Rush goalie Kent Patterson for the final score of 6 to 4.
With the second win the Eagles swept the Rush in the home and home series to give the Eagles a great start on the season.
The Eagles play a two game set against the Alaska Aces at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland Colorado on Oct, 21 and Oct. 22. Gametime is 7:05 P.M. on both nights.
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