ECHL Colorado Eagles

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

Published on December 17, 2017 under 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.

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