What’s up: Yes, there are professional hockey playoffs in Colorado this season. The Loveland-based Eagles begin their first-round ECHL series against the Idaho Steelheads Friday and Saturday (both at 7:05 p.m.) at the Budweiser Events Center. Games 3, 4 and 5 are at Boise before Games 6 and 7, if necessary, are back at Loveland on April 25-26.
Background: The Eagles are in their first season of an affiliation with the Avalanche. They had a fluctuating small cast of overflow players from the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League to mix in with the roster core of those under ECHL deals with the Eagles.