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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Wild First Period Pushes Colorado to 5-4 Win over Rapid City

October 28, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


LOVELAND, CO. - The Colorado Eagles scored four goals in the first period, including a pair of power-play markers, as Colorado improved to 6-0 to start the season with a 5-4 victory over the Rapid City Rush on Friday. In addition to the two goals the Eagles scored on the man-advantage, Colorado also netted a 5-on-5 goal, a 4-on-4 tally and a shorthanded goal.

Colorado wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard, as defenseman Teigan Zahn finished off a 3-on-2 odd-man rush by banging the puck past Rush goaltender Steve Michalek to put the Eagles up 1-0 just 34 seconds into the contest.

Just over two minutes later, the Rush would tie the game when forward Dante Salituro deflected a shot at the side of the net past Colorado goaltender Sam Brittain to knot the game at 1-1.

The Eagles would reclaim the lead on the power play when forward Michael Joly one-timed a pass between the circles into the back of the net to give Colorado the 2-1 edge at the 6:14 mark of the first period. The lead would grow to two goals when the Eagles took advantage of their second power play. This time it would be defenseman Matt Register who would step into a booming slapshot from the top of the left circle, besting Michalek and putting Colorado up 3-1 with 10:43 left to play in the opening period of play.

Rapid City would throw the breaks on the Eagles momentum when forward Marcus Ortiz wired a wrister from the slot, beating Brittain and slicing the Colorado lead to 3-2 at the 11:56 mark of the first period.

As the Rush began their first power play of the night, Eagles forward Joey Ratelle would force a turnover at the Rapid City blue line, allowing the rookie winger to go into the zone uncontested before blasting the puck past Michalek to give Colorado a 4-2 advantage with 1:34 remaining in the first.

Only 20 seconds later, Rapid City would grab another goal when forward Anthony Collins slapped a puck out of mid-air at the side of the net, lighting the lamp and trimming the Eagles lead to 4-3.

Leading by one goal after 20 minutes of play, Colorado would stretch their advantage when forward Shawn St-Amant skated through the slot and snapped a wrister through the legs of a Rush defenseman and into the back of the net, putting the Eagles up 5-3 at the 4:43 mark of the second period.

Up by a pair of goals with the game moving into the third period of action, Colorado would see its lead cut once more, as Rush forward Kenton Miller fielded a rebound in the crease and flung it into the net to make it a 5-4 edge for the Eagles with 8:46 still left to play in the final frame of regulation.

Rapid City would pull Michalek in the waning minutes of the contest in favor of the extra attacker, but Brittain and company would ward off the effort to hold on for the 5-4 victory. 11 different Eagles posted a point in the contest, while Brittain claimed the win in net, stopping 28 of Rapid City's 32 shots in the contest.

Colorado concludes its two-game, weekend series with the Rush when the Eagles travel to the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday, October 28th at 7:05pm.

Season tickets for the 2017-18 season are on-sale now and can be reserved with a $100 deposit per seat by calling the Eagles ticket office at 970-686-SHOT (7468).

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

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