Colorado Earns Historic Win in 10-4 Thumping of Manitoba
Dec 18, 2019
LOVELAND, CO. – Kevin Connauton and Jacob MacDonald each registered four points, as 18 different Eagles registered a point in a 10-4 blowout of the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday. Colorado’s 10 goals were the most the team has scored since joining the AHL last season. The last time the Eagles netted 10 goals was in a 10-3 defeat of the Utah Grizzlies on November 7, 2012. Eight Colorado skaters notched multiple points in the victory, while the power play generated four goals on 10 opportunities. Hunter Miska earned the win in net, making 16 saves on 20 shots.
Manitoba would bury the game’s first goal when an early power play set up defenseman Leon Gawanke to blitz a shot from the blue line into the back of the net to give the Moose a 1-0 edge just 2:39 into the contest.
Colorado would find an answer just 1:15 later when an Eagles power play allowed forward Jayson Megna to weave his way through all four Moose penalty killers inside the blue line before feeding the puck through the leg pads of Manitoba goalie Griffen Outhouse. The goal was Megna’s eighth of the season and tied the game at 1-1.
The Moose would hop back in the driver’s seat when a turnover at the Manitoba blue line created a 2-on-0 rush that would see forward J.C. Lipon slip the puck around Miska to give the Moose a 2-1 advantage at the 8:59 mark of the first period.
The Eagles would summon another quick answer when forward Igor Shvyrev bulled his way into the zone before blistering a shot from the right-wing circle that would light the lamp and square things up at 2-2 with 9:27 left to play in the opening 20 minutes.
Colorado would claim its first lead of the night when a 5-on-3 power play saw Connauton to bury a slapshot from the slot to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead at the 18:59 mark of the first period. Forward T.J. Tynan would collect his team-leading 14th assist of the season on the tally.
The offense would be ratcheted up by the Eagles in the second period as forward Logan O’Connor would snag a loose puck in the left-wing circle and snap it past Outhouse to stretch Colorado’s lead to 4-2 just 2:41 into the middle frame. The goal would also signal the end of the night for Outhouse who would give way to Mikhail Berdin in net for the duration.
Manitoba would finally stem the tide would a battle for a loose puck in the low slot would lead to Moose defenseman Jimmy Oligny lifting a shot past Miska to trim Colorado’s advantage to 4-3 at the 4:35 mark of the period.
The swing in momentum wouldn’t last long, as Connauton would step into a slapshot from the blueline that would elude Berdin and light the lamp to put the Eagles on top 5-3 with 9:23 remaining in the period.
Just 28 second later it would be forward Sheldon Dries who would track down a puck in the offensive zone and snap a wrister into the back of the net from the right-wing circle to grow Colorado’s lead to 6-3.
The Eagles weren’t finished, as forward Colin Campbell fielded a centering pass from Ryan Wagner and whistled a shot past Berdin to give Colorado a 7-3 advantage with only 1:57 left to play in the second stanza.
Moving into the third period the Eagles would continue to pour it on offensively. However, it would be Manitoba forward Derek Hulak who would start the scoring in the period to cut Colorado’s lead to 7-4 at the 2:31 mark of the final frame.
Colorado would storm back with three unanswered goals to close out the game, starting with a tip from the side of the crease from forward Erik Condra that would beat Berdin and put the Eagles on top 8-4 with 15:28 still left to play in the contest.
Forward Shane Bowers would then join the onslaught when he tucked home a shot from the side of the net on the power play to build Colorado’s lead to 9-4 at the 10:49 mark of the period.
Another Eagles power play would lead to yet another goal, as defenseman Josh Anderson would launch a slapshot from the left point that would light the lamp and stretch the advantage to 10-4 with only 3:54 left to play in regulation. The goal was Anderson’s first AHL tally of his career.
Colorado outshot the Moose 42-20 in the game. Berdin suffered the loss in net, surrendering six goals on 29 shots, while Outhouse allowed four goals on the 13 shots he faced.
The Eagles return to action when they host the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday, December 21st 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.
