Colorado Fends off Reign for 6-4 Victory
Nov 16, 2024
LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado forward Jake Wise notched two goals and an assist, while fellow forward T.J. Tynan posted three assists, as the Eagles knocked off the Ontario Reign 6-4 on Saturday. Defenseman Devante Stephens’ first goal as an Eagle would prove be the game-winner, as goaltender Kevin Mandolese stopped 21 of the 25 shots he faced to grab his fourth win of the season in net.
Stephens kicked off the contest by dropping the gloves with Luke Rowe just 16 seconds into the game and it would provide an instant jolt for the home side. Only 20 seconds after Stephens’ tilt, forward Tye Felhaber tucked home a rebound from the side of the crease, putting Colorado on top, 1-0. The Eagles would go on to outshoot Ontario 11-7 in the opening 20 minutes and carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Reign would level the score just 3:38 into the second period when defenseman Riley Walsh buried a wrister from the slot, tying the game at 1-1.
Colorado would reclaim the lead 1:39 later when Wise slammed home a loose puck on top of the crease, giving the Eagles a 2-1 edge.
The game’s first power play would set up Colorado defenseman Jacob MacDonald to light the lamp with a shot from the blue line, stretching the advantage to 3-1 at the 9:03 mark of the middle frame.
The Eagles would strike yet again when defenseman Jack Ahcan cleaned up a rebound in the crease to put Colorado on top 4-1 with 4:47 left to play in the second stanza.
Ontario would finally put the brakes on the onslaught when defenseman Angus Booth netted his first professional goal with a shot from the slot, slicing the deficit to 4-2 at the 18:13 mark of the period.
Still trailing 4-2 to begin the third period, the Reign would take another bite out of the Eagles lead when forward Glenn Gawdin snapped a wrister on the rush past Mandolese, pulling Ontario within one goal at the 3:29 mark.
Reign forward Shawn Element would complete the comeback just 28 seconds later when he roofed a shot from the bottom of the right-wing circle, tying the game at 4-4.
Needing an answer, Colorado would get one when Stephens drove through the low slot before stuffing a centering feed into the back of the net, giving the Eagles a 5-4 advantage at the 5:25 mark of the final frame.
As time wound down in the contest, Ontario would pull goaltender Jacob Ingham in favor of the extra attacker, but it would be Wise who would take advantage with an empty-netter, padding Colorado’s lead at 6-4 with 35 seconds left to play.
Tynan’s third point on the night was his 600th career AHL point, while forward Jayson Megna skated in his 700th professional game.
The Eagles finished the night going 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. Ingham suffered the loss in net, allowing five goals on 30 shots.
The Eagles will be back in action when they travel to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday, November 20th at 8:00pm MT at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now and can be secured with a deposit of just $100 per seat. Click here to place your deposit.
