Colorado Caps Off Regular Season with 6-3 Win over Reign
Apr 21, 2024
LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado forward Riley Tufte netted a pair of goals, while seven different Eagles registered multi-point performances, as Colorado defeated the Ontario Reign in the regular-season finale 6-3 on Sunday. Goaltender Ivan Prosvetov earned the win in net, making 28 saves on 31 shots. The Eagles finished the contest going 2-for-3 on the power play and a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. The victory also secures home-ice advantage for Colorado in the Eagles first-round Calder Cup Playoff series against the Abbotsford Canucks.
Colorado would kick off the scoring just 1:38 into the contest when defenseman Jack Ahcan fired a shot from the left-wing corner off the back of goalie Erik Portillo and into the back of the net. The goal was Ahcan’s sixth of the season and gave the Eagles an early 1-0 edge.
Ontario would knot things up when forward Francesco Pinelli buried a one-timer from the right-wing circle, tying the game at 1-1 at the 4:59 mark of the first period.
Colorado would hop back in the driver’s seat when forward Nikolai Kovalenko sliced to the crease and steered a centering feed into the back of the net, giving the Eagles a 2-1 advantage with 8:24 remaining in the opening 20 minutes of play.
A delayed penalty on the Reign would set up Tufte to hammer home a one-timer from the right-wing circle, extending Colorado’s advantage to 3-1 at the 16:29 mark of the opening frame.
Tufte would strike again just 56 seconds later, as he would take advantage of the Eagles first power-play opportunity by stuffing his own rebound past Portillo, putting Colorado on top 4-1. The Eagles would go on to outshoot Ontario 13-7 in the period and carried their 4-1 lead into the first intermission.
Colorado would convert on yet another power play when forward Peter Holland tapped a rebound in the crease into the back of the net, making it a 5-1 Eagles advantage just 36 seconds into the second period.
Ontario would turn the momentum when forward Jacob Doty lit the lamp with a wrister from the high slot, slicing the deficit to 5-2 at the 9:17 mark of the period.
The Reign would build on their efforts when forward Martin Chromiak fired a shot that would deflect off an Eagles skater in the low slot, sending it past Prosvetov and trimming Colorado’s lead to 5-3 with 2:54 remaining in the middle frame.
Still leading 5-3 as the puck dropped on the third period, the Eagles would add a little insurance when forward Spencer Smallman lit the lamp with a shot from the high slot, pushing Colorado’s advantage to 6-3 just 1:41 into the final frame.
As time ticked down in the contest, Ontario would pull Portillo in favor of the extra attacker but would come no closer, falling to the Eagles by a final score of 6-3.
Portillo suffered the loss in net, allowing six goals on 34 shots.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the Abbotsford Canucks in Game One of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, April 24th at 7:05pm MT at Blue Arena. Tickets for all playoff games are on sale now. You can find more information on ticket packages by visiting ColoradoEagles.com or by calling the ticket department at (970) 686-7468.
