Just because the National Hockey League is on ice during the doesn’t mean that Colorado’s enthusiasts for professional hockey must go cold turkey.
Go instead to the Budweiser Events Center.
There at the “Bud Barn,” a 7,200-seat venue (approximately 5,300 for hockey) that opened in 2003 just off Interstate 25 near Loveland, the Colorado Eagles of the Central Hockey League play host to the Oklahoma City Blazers tonight and tomorrow night.
Before the action, sip a cold one during Happy Hour in the Water Valley Tap on the concourse level. The doors open at 5 p.m. (game time 7:05 p.m.), and you will find not only drink specials, but also a carving station and a beer-brat stand.
Between the action, marvel at the hijinks of Eagles mascot Slapshot. Or let your eyes wander over to the Eagles’ dance team, dubbed the Eagles Chicks.
Oh, yeah. The action.
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CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
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The Eagles joined the CHL as an expansion club in 2003, delighting fans with a rough-and-stumble brand of minor league hockey at a lower cost than your typical Colorado Avalanche contest. Eagles tickets go for $18. The worst seat for an Avs game at Pepsi Center — trust me; I pouted there Feb. 7 — runs you $23.
The Eagles happen to be good, too. The team won the President’s Cup last year as the league champion. Going into tonight’s game, the Eagles lead the league in points with a month remaining in the regular season.
So, let’s review.
Booze. Chicks. A chance at seeing a good fight.
Now that’s my kind of hat trick.
An online exclusive that runs each Friday, examines the memorable, less visible and lighthearted aspects of Colorado’s sports landscape. DenverPost.com sports producer Bryan Boyle can be reached at bboyle@denverpost.com.
From the columns
“Although I hold several among my friends and acquaintances, I never thought I had much in common with cowboys. Not until now. Not until they made that movie. I blame Hollywood for the public flutter that now links wranglers and anglers under the same cloud of homophobic suspicion.”
From the mailbags
“Mr. Redick’s stock seems to be rising by the week. He must be good if Karl, a Tar Heel to the bone, grudgingly admits it. As for the Nuggets, they’d be in a much better position to draft him if they had a first-round pick. Right now, they don’t.”
From the message boards
“Keep Putzier: the guy is clutch and a good blocker to boot. I know they are loaded with Tight Ends but Jeb is not the one to let go. Duke is their golden boy it would appear but he is unproven at this point.” — truebroncosfan
From the online exclusives
Introducing a new blog at DenverPost.com: Posts From Spring Training. This blog not only records the goings-on from Hi Corbett Field in Tucson as Denver Post staff writer Patrick Saunders enters his first full year on the Colorado Rockies beat, but also from the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues as Denver Post MLB beat reporter Troy E. Renck roams various camps until opening day.
A look back
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In this photo shot May 4, 2005, Colorado Eagles captain Greg Pankewicz raises the President’s Cup after his team defeated the defending champion Laredo Bucks in Game 5 of the Central Hockey League finals at the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, Texas. |
