Annunen, Vande Sompel Drive Colorado to 4-0 Win over Barracuda
Apr 8, 2023
SAN JOSE, CA. – Colorado goaltender Justus Annunen stopped all 33 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season, while defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel netted a pair of goals, as the Eagles defeated the San Jose Barracuda 4-0 on Saturday. Forwards Charles Hudon and Sampo Ranta also found the back of the net with empty-netters in the third period. The win closes out a six-game road trip that saw Colorado collect nine of a possible 12 points in the standings.
After killing off a San Jose power play, Colorado would rattle off 11 consecutive shots on net, including the game’s first goal. Vande Sompel wound his way from the left-wing boards, behind the net and into the low slot, where he would light the lamp with a wrister, giving Colorado a 1-0 edge at the 15:28 mark of the first period.
Two minutes later, Eagles forward Alex Beaucage and Barracuda defenseman Will Reidell dropped the gloves off a faceoff, causing each of them to be hit with a game misconduct. Colorado would go on to outshoot San Jose 14-6 in the opening 20 minutes and carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Barracuda would pour on the shots in the second period, outshooting the Eagles, 19-6. Despite the disparity, Colorado would grab the only goal of the middle frame when Vande Sompel collecting a centering feed from Alex Galchenyuk before weaving through the slot and beating Barracuda goalie Aaron Dell with a backhander. The goal was Vande Sompel’s fifth of the season and gave the Eagles a 2-0 advantage at the 7:27 mark of the second stanza.
The third period would see San Jose pull Dell in the final three minutes in favor of the extra attacker, but the move would deliver back-to-back empty-net goals for Hudon at the 18:07 mark and Ranta with 48 seconds remaining in the contest.
Colorado was outshot 33-28, as the Eagles finished the night 0-for-1 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they return home to take on the San Diego Gulls on Friday, April 14th at 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center. Tickets for all regular season games are on sale now and start at just $21. You can find more information on ticket packages, theme tickets, and promotional nights, by visiting ColoradoEagles.com or by calling the ticket department at (970) 686-7468.
