Rage All Fluff?

It appears that the only thing coming out of Rage camp these days is fluff. Like this little ditty from cbs4denver.com:

The Broomfield Event Center is giving trick-or-treaters a chance to get candy and check out the suites at the center with a "Trick or Suite" event on Sunday, Oct. 28. The event runs from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and is free.

Members of the Rocky Mountain Rage hockey team and the Colorado 14ers basketball as well as mascots and dancers will also be on hand to greet the trick-or-treaters.

I hope someone gets crosschecked. Like a 14er. Come the hell on. Camp has been open for four days. This is what we get? Good luck with the season, boys. Save me a kit kat.

Technorati Tags: CHL, Hockey, Rage

Both Teams Open Camp Monday

Itching for some hockey? Want to see what the teams may have to offer? The first signs of life in the CHL start Monday with the Rage and Eagles opening their training camps.

The Rage kick things off early at 9:00am at the Broom. For a complete schedule, you can look here, but Monday looks like this:

9 a.m. - 11 a.m. – On-ice Session

2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. – On-ice Session

The Eagles roll out of bed an hour later, a much more hockey friendly 10:00am start time. Your full schedule and info is here. As for Monday:

10 a.m. Practice at Budweiser Events Center (BEC)

3:30-4:30 Intra-Squad Practice Game

Don't forget about preseason battle games, with home and home series to kick it off. The battle schedule is listed on the right.

Map to Broomfield Event Center

Map to Budweiser Event Center

Technorati Tags: CHL, Eagles, Hockey, Rage

Eagles Coach To Miss Season Start

Chris Stewart, head coach of the Colorado Eagles, will not be able to work the opening night game. From the Coloradoan:

Stewart, who has led the Eagles to two titles in their four seasons, will miss an undetermined length of time at the beginning of the season as he recuperates from recent back surgery. The coach underwent "experimental surgery" to put two artificial discs in his back.

You know what? You gotta do what you gotta do, and if that means missing the start of the season, so be it.

Assistant coach Ryan Bach will assume the day-to-day coaching of team, implementing a system Stewart said has been refined through years of trial and error.

"Ryan Bach will take over, and he'll handle things the very best he can," Stewart said. "I've dictated everything in a very specific pattern."

I didn't realize Bach was an assistant coach for the team. I hate to admit, and it pains me to think about, but I owned a Ryan Bach game worn jersey from the inaugural season. Alas, it is gone, lost in a parking garage in Baltimore, MD. But that's a story for a different day.

I'll let the Coloradoan finish this one off with some words about Ryan Bach.

For the early portion of the season, though, Bach will be the one in charge. He said he will lean on the system and the players who have proven track records in the organization.

"Basically, we have something that's worked here," Bach said. "The biggest thing that works in our favor is the chemistry we have in the locker room and the guys returning."

The man who was the first Eagles goalie in 2003-04 and joined the staff as a goalie coach last year never imagined he would be taking on a full-time role.

Bach has a successful real estate career, but he has reworked his schedule and delegated some of his work to make sure he can fully concentrate on his new job. He said he was hooked when he got to be around the team during its title run last season and when Stewart approached with the assistant coach offer, Bach took the plunge.

He said he'll look to set the tone early in training camp, which officially starts Oct. 8.

"As a coach, I have to provide the direction and environment so that moving forward we have no comfort zone," Bach said, meaning he won't let complacency set it. "Teams will be gunning for us, especially after last year.

"I've got a challenge in front of me, no question. I'm looking forward to it."

Technorati Tags: CHL, Eagles, Hockey

Rage Tickets on Sale Now

The Rocky Mountain Rage put their tickets for single games on sale today. You can buy them through the Rage website.

Technorati Tags: CHL, Hockey, Rage

Plume Update

The Quad City Mallards Flames announced roster cuts today, and Clay Plume was among those cuts. No word yet on where he will end up, but perhaps he will be back in the C. Good luck, Clay.

Technorati Tags: CHL, Hockey, Rage