Colorado Completes Sweep of Roadrunners with 6-1 Win
Jan 7, 2023
TUCSON, AZ. – Colorado forward Jean-Luc Foudy notched two goals and an assist, as 11 different skaters registered a point in the Eagles 6-1 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners on Saturday. Forwards Sampo Ranta and Alex Galchenyuk each added a goal and an assist, as the win completed a two-game sweep of the Roadrunners. Goaltender Justus Annunen earned the victory in net, making 26 saves on 27 shots.
Colorado would snag an early lead when Foudy skated through the left-wing circle and unfurled a wrister that would beat Roadrunners goalie Jon Gillies and give the Eagles a 1-0 edge just 1:26 into the contest.
A power play would allow Colorado to expand its lead, as Ranta snagged an outlet pass at the Tucson blue line before racing between the circles and lighting the lamp with a shot from the slot to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage at the 4:42 mark of the first period.
Foudy would again find the back of the net when he collected a rebound at the side of the crease and bashed it home to put Colorado on top 3-0 with 1:44 remaining in the opening 20 minutes of play.
Still on top 3-0 as the puck dropped on the second period, the Eagles watch the Roadrunners take nine penalties in the second period, totaling 32 minutes. The parade to the box would create a bevy of power-play opportunities for Colorado, including two 5-on-3 situations. However, Tucson’s penalty kill would rise to the occasion and the two teams would head to the second intermission with the Eagles still on top, 3-0.
A turnover at center ice would send forward Spencer Smallman on a breakaway, which he would cap off with a shot from the right-wing circle that would light the lamp and push Colorado’s advantage to 4-0 at the 12:10 mark of the third period.
Tucson would finally stem the tide 23 seconds later when forward Travis Barron split a pair of defenders at the blue line before lifting a backhander past Annunen to trim the deficit to 4-1.
The change in momentum would be brief, as defenseman Luke Martin blistered home a shot from the high slot to make it 5-1 at the 15:33 mark of the final frame. The tally was Martin’s first goal and first point in the American Hockey League.
As the contest ticked into the final two minutes, the Roadrunners would pull Gillies in favor of the extra attacker. The move would backfire, as Galchenyuk tucked home an empty-netter with only 11 seconds left to play in the game to round out the 6-1 contest.
The Eagles outshot Tucson by a final count of 38-27, as Colorado finished the night going 1-for-8 on the power play and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they return home to take on the Rockford IceHogs on Friday, January 13th 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.
