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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Ratelle forced a turnover late in regulation to create the game-winning goal

December 17, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, CO. - Forward Joey Ratelle forced a turnover late in regulation to create the game-winning goal, as the Colorado Eagles defeated the Wichita Thunder 4-3 on Wednesday. The victory was Colorado's seventh consecutive win and keeps the Eagles in first place in the Western Conference. Forwards Drayson Bowman and Matt Garbowsky each collected a goal and an assist, while defenseman Matt Register notched a pair of assists in the winning effort.

Garbowsky would give Colorado the early edge when he took a pass in the low slot and snapped it past Wichita goaltender Joel Rumpel to put the Eagles on top 1-0, just 1:27 into the contest.

The Colorado lead would grow to 2-0 when forward Emil Romig batted a loose puck out of mid-air and into the back of the net at the 10:08 mark of the first period. The tally now gives Romig five goals in his last seven contests.

Less than three minutes later, Bowman fielded a drop pass in the right circle before beating Rumpel with a wrister to stretch the Eagles advantage to 3-0.

After calling a time-out, the Thunder would finally put the brakes on Colorado when forward Steven Iacobellis fed a rebound in the low slot into the back of the net to slice the Eagles lead to 3-1 at the 16:44 mark of the first period.

Wichita would pull within a single score midway through the second frame when forward Greg Chase squeezed a shot from the side of the net between the post and Eagles goalie Sam Brittain to cut Colorado's lead to 3-2, with 8:44 remaining in the period.

The Thunder would tie the game early in the third period when forward Travis Ewanyk flew down the right wing and snapped a wrist shot from the circle that would light the lamp and square the game at 3-3 with 17:06 still left to play in regulation.

The Eagles would finally claw back on top when Ratelle forced a turnover along the end wall on the forecheck and then slipped into the slot, firing the puck into the net to put Colorado up 4-3 with 5:46 remaining in the contest.

Wichita would pull Rumpel in favor of the extra attacker, but the Eagles would hold tight defensively to secure the 4-3 victory. Colorado would finish the evening going 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Thunder went 0-for-1 on the man-advantage. Brittain captured his fourth straight win in net, stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced.

Colorado returns to action when the Eagles travel to the BOK Center to take on the Tulsa Oilers on Friday, December 15th at 6:05pm MT.

Kevin McGlue, Play-By-Play "Voice of the Eagles" & Media Relations Director

COLORADO EAGLES© - Ph: (970) 686-7468 - Fax: (970) 674-9549

kmcglue@coloradoeagles.com - Cell: (970) 566-3280

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