7th Heaven: ECHL All Stars 7-3 Win Over The Colorado Eagles
By Ryan Bayer
Official 2013 ECHL All Star Game presented by University Colorado Health Logo. Mandatory credit: Colorado Eagles media department.
Tonight the Colorado Eagles organization hosted the 20th ECHL All-Star Game presented by University Colorado Health on Wednesday in front of 5,289 fans at Budweiser Events Center.
With 16:05 remaining of the first period, Team ECHL’s Mitch Wahl got the first penalty of the game when he was called for holding. Penalties at any league level for All Star Games are considered to be a rare. On the man advantage for the Colorado Eagle’s All Stars they came up short as team ECHL denied them from taking a 1 goal lead.
Shortly after the penalty kill by team ECHL, ECHL All-Stars struck first at 6:33 into 1st period as Andrew Hotham of the Wheeling Nailers stuffed the puck five hole past Adam Brown. Hothman’s goal was assisted by Casey Pierro-Zabotel and Willie Coetzee.
Immediately after team ECHL scored the first goal of the game, Colorado Eagles Michael Forney put his team shorthanded with a tripping minor. Moreover, just like Colorado’s man advantage opportunity, team ECHL failed to convert on the power play as the score remained 1-0.
As the period went on when opportunity presented itself for the Colorado Eagles. Thru a screen at the right face off circle, Colorado’s A.J. Hau ripped it past Philipp Grubauer to tie the contest up at 1 goal apiece at 11:40 of the first. The lone assist went to Bowman.
At the 15:20 mark of the first, team ECHL was shorthanded for the second time of the period as Maggio was caught with a slashing minor.
On the man advantage Colorado converted on a nice tic tac toe play as Joey Sides finished it with a sweet backhander over Grubauer to put his team up 2-1 over the ECHL All Stars at 16:44 of the first frame.
After 20 minutes of play the Eagles edged out the ECHL team on the shot clock 16-8.
Wheeling Nailers defenseman #7 Andrew Hothman. Mandatory credit: Wheeling Nailers media department.
Before the start of the middle frame, the ECHL All Stars made a goaltending switch and put in Carolina Stingrays Ryan Zapolski.
On a 3 on 1 situation, team ECHL entered the Eagles zone to knot the game up at 2 at the 3:06 mark of the second as Chris Francis of the Las Vegas Wranglers went upstairs on Brown.
Shortly after the tying goal by the ECHL All Stars, Toledo’s Willie Coetzee went far side on Brown to put team ECHL ahead 3-2 at 4:47. Coetzee’s tally was assisted by Nathan Moon of the Evansville Iceman.
With 8:20 remaining of the second period the Eagles made a goaltending change as they swapped out Brown and inserted Kyle Jones.
On a sweet cross ice pass by Mitch Wahl to Taylor Ellington of the Cincinnati Cyclones cashed in and put team ECHL ahead 4-2 with assists from Mitch Wahl and C.J. Severyn at the 15:44 mark of the second stanza.
Andrew Hotham put some distant between them and the Colorado Eagles to give the ECHL All-Stars a 5-2 lead. This marked Hothman’s second goal of the contest an was assisted by both Maylan and Francis at 18:35 of the second.
In the dying seconds of the middle frame the ECHL’s converted again as C.J. Severyn of the Orlando Solar Bears went five hole on Jones to put the ECHL All Stars up 6-2.
After 40 minutes of play, the Colorado Eagles continued their strangle hold on the ECHL All Stars on the shot clock with a 33-17 advantage.
Notables: The 5 goals by the ECHL All-Stars in 2nd period tied the ASG record for most goals by one team in a period. It has been done 6 times in the past.
Carolina Stingrays goaltender #31 Ryan Zapolski. Mandatory credit: Carolina Stingrays media department.
In the final period the ECHL All Stars made their last goaltending and put between the pipes from the Gwinnett Gladiators Mike Lee.
44 seconds into the third period, Michael Forney of Colorado batted the puck from mid air to put the rubber past Lee and made it a 6-3 ECHL All-Stars lead. Forney’s goal was assisted by both Trent Daavettila and Jason Beatty.
Dustin Gazley of the Elmira Jackals put the puck into a wide open net in games dying seconds of the final period to give the ECHL All-Stars 7-3 win in 2013. Gazley’s tally was assisted by C. Pierro-Zabotel.
MVP Trophy:
2013 ECHL ALL STAR GAME Most Valuable Player Award went to team ECHL’s net minder 31 Ryan Zapolski with 0 goals allowed on 17 shots.
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