ECHL Colorado Eagles

Game Recap --- Eagles Build Big Lead to Defeat Steelheads 5-4

Published on December 7, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


Eagles Build Big Lead to Defeat Steelheads 5-4
Eagles Build Big Lead to Defeat Steelheads 5-4
(Colorado Eagles, Credit: Standout Imagery )

LOVELAND, CO. - Colorado built a 3-0 lead after one period of play and carried a 5-1 advantage into the second intermission, but a third period rally for Idaho would make things interesting, as the Eagles held off the Steelheads 5-4 on Wednesday at the Budweiser Events Center. Eagles goaltender Clarke Saunders collected his fifth win of the season and added 17 penalty minutes courtesy of a goalie fight with Idaho netminder Branden Komm midway through the third period.

The Eagles would hop on the scoreboard at the 8:07 mark of the first period when forward Darryl Bootland deflected a shot from the point into the back of the net to give Colorado the 1-0 edge. Less than two minutes later, defenseman Matt Register would tap in a beautiful cross slot pass from forward Luke Salazar to extend the Eagles lead to 2-0. With under two minutes left two play in the opening stanza, forward Josh Nicholls would fire a wrister directly off the faceoff to beat Steelheads goalie Phillipe Desrosiers and give Colorado a 3-0 advantage.

As the puck dropped on the second period the Eagles would waste little time in lighting the lamp once again, as forward Jesse Mychan jammed home a puck during a net-mouth scramble on the power play to make it 4-0 Colorado just 25 seconds into the middle frame. The goal would also chase Desrosiers, who would give way to Komm between the pipes.

The Steelheads would finally find the back of the net at the 11:17 mark of the second period when forward Caleb Herbert fired a shot from the slot on the power play to trim the Eagles lead to 5-1.

Heading into the third period, Idaho would continue to cut into the Eagles lead when defenseman Travis Walsh buried a slapshot from the top of the left circle to make it a 5-2 Colorado advantage at the 6:09 mark. Just seconds later in the third, defenseman Teigan Zahn would drop the gloves after Herbert delivered a shot to the head of Bootland. That fracas would spill into a second altercation, as Saunders and Komm would square-off at center ice.

As Desrosier and Nathan Lieuwen took over in net for their respective clubs, Idaho would continue to rally, as forward Anthony Luciani would finish a shot from the slot on a 5-on-3 powerplay to slice the Eagles lead to 5-3 with 10:24 still to play in regulation. That advantage would be knocked down to just one goal after Walsh buried his second goal of the night with a backhander that beat Lieuwen and made it a 5-4 Colorado edge. The Steelheads would pull Desrosiers in favor of the extra attacker, but they would come no closer as the Eagles would hold on for the 5-4 victory. Colorado finished the night going 2-for-3 on the power play, while Idaho posted a 2-for-6 mark on the man-advantage.

The Eagles continue a three-game set against the Idaho Steelheads on Friday, December 9th at 7:05pm MT.

Season tickets for the 2016-17 season are on-sale now and can be reserved with a $50 deposit per seat by calling the Eagles ticket office at 970-686-SHOT (7468). A complete schedule can be found at www.ColoradoEagles.com.

Check out the Colorado Eagles Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Eagles Build Big Lead to Defeat Steelheads 5-4
Eagles Build Big Lead to Defeat Steelheads 5-4
(Standout Imagery )		   



ECHL Stories from December 7, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central