Colorado Earns First Win with 5-4 OT Victory over San Jose
Oct 29, 2021
SAN JOSE, CA. – Eagles forward Kiefer Sherwood scored the game-winning goal with just 22 seconds remaining in overtime to give Colorado its first win of the season with a 5-4 triumph over the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday. Goaltender Justus Annunen earned his first AHL win, making 26 saves on 30 shots. Sherwood finished the contest with a pair of goals, while fellow forward Dylan Sikura collected three assists.
Noah Gregor would give the Barracuda an early edge when he buried a shot from the top of the crease to put San Jose on top, 1-0 just 3:52 into the contest. The lead would grow less than three minutes later when defenseman Nicholas Meloche sent a slapshot from the right point that would beat Eagles Annunen and give the Barracuda the 2-0 advantage.
A power play later in the period would see Sherwood blast a one-timer from the left-wing circle into the back of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 8:09 left to play in the opening 20 minutes.
Still trailing by one to start the second period, Colorado would generate the equalizer when forward Gabriel Fontaine connected on a one-timer in transition to square the score at 2-2 at the 8:40 mark of the frame.
The third period would see things open up offensively, as San Jose forward John Leonard would stuff home a rebound from the side of the crease on the power play to put the Barracuda back on top 3-2 with 12:44 left in the period.
The Eagles would swing the momentum back when defenseman Jordan Gross sent a wrister from the right-wing circle past San Jose goaltender Alexei Melnichuk to knot the game at 3-3 at the 10:25 mark of the period.
The deadlock would be broken when another Barracuda power play set up forward Nick Merkley to light the lamp with a shot through traffic from the slot to give San Jose a 4-3 edge with 3:28 remaining in the contest.
Just eight seconds later, forward Mikhail Maltsev would beat Melnichuk with a shot from the left-wing circle to tie the game at 4-4.
With 60 minutes not enough to determine a winner, the game would head to sudden-death overtime. After killing off a San Jose power play to begin the extra session, Sherwood would snap a wrister from the top of the circle that would find the back of the net and give the Eagles the 5-4 win with 22 seconds left in OT.
Colorado finished the game 1-for-7 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill while outshooting the Barracuda 36-30.
The Eagles will return to action when they travel to take on the Stockton Heat on Saturday, October 30th at 7:00 pm MT at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California. Tickets for all regular-season games are on sale now and start at just $19. 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.
