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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Grizzlies Edge Eagles in OT, 3-2

February 23, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Utah Grizzlies scored three power play goals -- including the overtime game-winner -- in a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Eagles in the first of many meetings between the rival clubs the rest of the regular season. The game was the first of three in less than 72 hours between the teams, and the first of nine meetings in their final 20 contests prior to the playoffs.

Colorado got on the board first, six minutes in, when Ray Kaunisto came out of the penalty box, stole the puck from the Grizzlie player at the point, turned and burned down the ice on a breakaway, and beat Adam Morrison from the high slot.

Morrison, though, kept Utah close, stopping several quality Eagles chances in the first, including a pair of saves on Dylan Hood and Kyle Ostrow with his right toe. And at 17:24, Gaelan Patterson made his goalie's efforts even more important when the forward tied the game with a power-play goal by sweeping a shot home from the left hash marks.

Colorado had a chance to tie the game midway through the second when their league-leading power play was awarded over a minute's worth of a 5-on-3 advantage. But their best chance came when Collin Bowman's stick snapped in half on a shot attempt from the point, then Arthur Bidwill's shot rung off the right post to keep the home team down a goal. The Eagles had another great opportunity a few minutes later while killing a penalty, but Morrison gloved Isaac Smeltzer's shot from the point on a 3-on-1 Colorado rush.

Utah was then awarded their own lengthy two-man advantage and it took them just 13 seconds to strike when Ian Schultz deflected a shot past Kyle Jones from the doorstep, giving the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead. But Colorado countered with a power-play goal of their own to knot the score back up with just 12 seconds left in the second stanza when Michael Forney scored from the high slot.

Colorado's penalty kill was tested once again in the third period when Utah was awarded a five minute power play. The Eagles were able to kill it off on the way to forcing overtime where they found themselves on the penalty kill again as another penalty to Kaunisto carried over into the extra session. And with just over a minute elapsed off the clock, Nick Tuzzolino grabbed the puck inside the offensive blue line, skated toward the low slot and snapped a shot past Jones for the win.

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