Colorado Completes Epic Rally to Defeat Condors, 5-4 in OT
Feb 22, 2020
BAKERSFIELD, CA. – The Colorado Eagles scored five unanswered goals, including three in the third period, to erase a 4-0 deficit and defeat the Bakersfield Condors 5-4 in overtime on Saturday. Forward A.J. Greer led the way with two goals and two assists, as Julien Nantel, Shane Bowers and Kevin Connauton also had multi-point performances. Colorado finished the night going 2-for-6 on the power play, as goaltender Adam Werner earned the win in net by making 21 saves on 24 shots.
Bakersfield would strike early and often in the first period, as forward Anthony Peluso would finish off a 2-on-1 rush with a shot from the right-wing circle that would light the lamp and give the Condors a 1-0 edge just 1:55 into the contest.
The advantage would grow when forward Luke Esposito fired a wrister from the top of the right-wing circle that would beat Werner and push Bakersfield’s lead to 2-0 at the 12:13 mark of the opening frame.
The Condors would cap off the opening 20 minutes when forward Jakob Stukel backhanded the puck from behind the net and off of an Eagles skater, sending it into the cage. The goal extended Bakersfield’s advantage to 3-0 with 4:28 remaining in the period. The Condors would carry that three-goal lead into the first intermission.
Both teams would exchange chances in the second period, but a power play for Bakersfield would build upon the home team’s advantage when defenseman Joel Persson buried a wrister from the top of the left-wing circle to put the Condors up 4-0 at the 16:46 mark of the middle frame.
Minutes later, Colorado would find itself on a 5-on-3 power play and Greer would capitalize when he bashed a shot from the low slot into the back of the net to trim the deficit to 4-1 with 13 seconds remaining in the second stanza.
The comeback would shift into overdrive in the third period, as forward Ryan Wagner snapped home a shot from the left-wing circle on the power play to slice the Condors lead to 4-2 at the 6:42 mark of the period. Less than two minutes later, Bowers would slide the puck cross-slot and Nantel would slam it home to cut the deficit to 4-3 with 11:39 left to play in the contest.
With the Eagles in full possession of momentum, Greer would skate through the right-wing circle before firing a wrister that would beat Skinner and tie the game 4-4 at the 16:48 mark of the third period.
Still deadlocked at 4-4, the two teams would head to sudden-death overtime. Midway through the extra session, forward Jayson Megna would fly through the left-wing circle before cutting to the slot and lighting the lamp to give Colorado the 5-4 win with 2:18 left in OT. Colorado finished the night by outshooting Bakersfield, 42-25.
The Eagles return to action when they host the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday, February 29th at 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center.
Tickets for all regular season contests are on sale now and can be purchased at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling (970) 686-SHOT.
