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Colorado Eagles

Komets Edge Eagles, 6-5

February 8, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Fort Wayne Komets edged the Colorado Eagles, 6-5, in a game full of twists and turns that evened the week's series at one game apiece. Four of Colorado's goals came via their league-leading power play, but it was Fort Wayne's four-goal first -- matching the most goals allowed in a period all season for Colorado -- that played a large part in the Komets' win.

The first period saw seven total goals, three of which came from the Eagles' top-ranked power play, however, Colorado entered the first intermission trailing, 4-3. Cody Sol showed great restraint three minutes into the frame, giving the Eagles a full 5-on-3 as he drew a roughing penalty on top of an initial Komets infraction. It took the home team just 31 seconds worth of the two-man advantage to score when Kevin Ulanski's shot from the point was deflected into the net by Steve Haddon in the low slot.

Four minutes later the Komets tied the game when Eric Giosa poked home the puck from the paint. And two minutes after that, Daniel Nycholat sent a lead pass that sprung Garrett Klotz on a breakaway that saw him beat Adam Brown. Brett Smith made it 3-1 at 10:50 when he scored on an odd-man rush in transition. The Eagles then took a timeout in an effort to regain their equilibrium.

The Eagles' timeout seemed to pay dividends just over a minute later when Trent Daavettila's shot from the right circle was tipped in the low slot on its way past Charlie Effinger, giving Colorado its second power-play goal of the first frame. And at 17:51, they picked up their third when Joey Sides sent a laser from the left circle to tie the game back up.

But a minute and a half later, the Komets got the period's last laugh when Matt Syroczynski picked the pocket of an Eagles player inside the blue line and fed Brandon Marino -- the Komets' leading scorer -- who sent a puck past Brown from the right circle with 40 seconds left in the frame.

After the teams combined for seven goals in the first frame, the goalies stole the show in the second stanza, combining for 25 saves. Sides knotted the game back up at 4 with his second goal of the night 12 and a half minutes into the period. On the play, defenseman Collin Bowman pinched down the left wing and sent a shot on net, Sides then dug out the rebound and sent a bad-angle back-hander into the cage.

But with Colorado on another power-play a few minutes later, an Eagles player fell down along the boards, leading to an odd-man rush for Fort Wayne that saw Ryan Hegarty put the Komets back on top, 5-4.

Sides had a golden opportunity to notch a hat trick just 20 seconds into the final frame when he was set up with a shot in the low slot, but Effinger robbed him on a bang-bang play to help the Komets maintain their one-goal edge. They stretched that lead to 6-4 with a power-play tally five minutes later when Matt Firman put home his second whack at a rebound from the right post.

But the Eagles kept coming, and cut the Komets' lead back down to one with another power-play goal at 18:51. Skating with a two-man advantage with Brown pulled for an extra attacker, Sol's shot from the point slithered its way across the goal line to make things interesting. However, the Eagles couldn't get another shot into the net despite continued pressure in the final minute, setting up a rubber-match Saturday night.

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