SteelHounds, Eagles continue their battle

By Tom Williams

The teams open the best-of-7 series in Colorado Friday night.

YOUNGSTOWN — When the Youngstown Steelhounds qualified for the first postseason appearance a year ago, the excitement was tempered by the challenge of their first-round draw — the Colorado Eagles.

In recent Central Hockey League seasons, the Eagles have been as strong as any team, winning the President’s Cup in 2005 and finishing as runner-up in 2006.

So even though they were seeded behind the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, the Eagles were the team no one wanted to play until necessary.

In that best-of-7first-round matchup last spring, the Eagles won the first three games, the SteelHounds rebounded for two victories at the Chevrolet Centre, then the series ended in Colorado in Game 6.

The Eagles went on to win three more series and the President’s Cup.

But on the eve of this spring’s CHL playoffs, the skate may be on the other foot.

The Eagles (thanks to the point they earned in a shootout loss in the season finale) clinched the Northwest Division, finishing 37-20-7. As a division winner, they earned the Northern Conference’s second seed.

They also get the SteelHounds (39-20-5) who have been sizzling. The SteelHounds won five of their final six games, including a three-game sweep of the Eagles at the Chevrolet Centre last week.

In all three contests, the Eagles had an early lead that dissolved into defeats.

On March 19, the SteelHounds trailed 2-1 after one period before rallying for a 3-2 win.

Last Friday, the SteelHounds were down 3-1 late in the second period when they exploded for six straight goals and a 7-4 victory.

“We didn’t play very well for the first 30 minutes,” captain Chris Richards said. “We just had to regroup on the bench, talk to each other and get our feet moving. Once we got our feet moving, the results were showing.”

Saturday, the Eagles led 2-0 in the third period before Youngstown’s Ryan Bennett scored twice to force overtime. His second goal came after SteelHounds coach Kevin Kaminski had pulled goaltender Andy Franck with about a minute to play in regulation.

Franck stopped four of the five Eagles’ shots in the shootout while Jason Baird and Richards beat Sebastien Laplante at the other end.

So even though the Eagles have home-ice advantage for the best-of-7 series that begins Friday in Loveland, Colo., the SteelHounds have the momentum.

Bennett, who scored six goals and three assists against the Eagles, was selected as the CHL’s player of the week. Franck, who is 9-0-1 in his past 10 starts, was the CHL’s goaltender of the month.

The SteelHounds finished second in the Northeast Division that saw all four teams qualify for the postseason.

Richards said the SteelHounds have been playing in a postseason atmosphere for weeks.

“Everybody’s been winning,” said Richards whose 80 points put him at 13th in the league in scoring. “We needed to start playing playoff hockey about three or four weeks ago. Thank God the guys bought in [to Kaminski’s system]. We’ve played tough along the boards and we’re getting the wins.”

While momentum favors the SteelHounds, the Eagles have one big edge. In their three seasons, the SteelHounds have never won on the Eagles’ home rink.

The closest they came was on March 8 when Eric Przepiorka’s third period goal forced overtime.

The Eagles won the shootout, dropping the SteelHounds’ record at the Budweiser Events Center to 0-8-1, including three playoff losses.

“We had to have smart energy, we have to be relentless,” Kaminski said of playing the Eagles. “They definitely have a potent offense. We’ve got to get ready to go through the wall for each other.”

williams@vindy.com