Colorado Holds Off Condors for 4-3 Win
Nov 15, 2022
BAKERSFIELD, CA. – Four different Colorado skaters found the back of the net, while goaltender Justus Annunen made 34 saves on 37 shots, as the Eagles defeated the Bakersfield Condors 4-3 on Tuesday. The win wraps up a three-game road trip for Colorado that saw the Eagles collect five of a possible six points, now giving the team 17 points on the year, good for first place in the Pacific Division.
Colorado would net the game’s first goal when defenseman Brad Hunt fired a shot from the top of the right-wing circle that would deflect off the stick of forward Mikhail Maltsev and into the back of the net. The goal was Maltsev’s second of the season and gave the Eagles a 1-0 edge at the 8:12 mark of the first period. After outshooting the Condors 14-8 in the opening 20 minutes, Colorado would head to the first intermission still leading 1-0.
Eagles forward Alex Beaucage would stretch the lead just 2:48 into the second period win he located a puck in the low slot off a faceoff and fed it past Bakersfield goaltender Calvin Pickard to put Colorado on top, 2-0.
The Eagles would strike again less than two minutes later when forward Justin Scott spun at the top of the right-wing circle and fired a wrister into the back of the net to extend Colorado’s advantage to 3-0 at the 4:18 mark. Shortly after the goal, Pickard would exit the contest with an injury and would be replaced in net by Olivier Rodrigue for the duration.
A power play for the Condors would get them on the board, as defenseman Philip Broberg split a pair of Eagles defenders at the blue line before cutting to the net and lifting the puck past Annunen to trim the deficit to 3-1 with 5:14 left in the middle frame.
The swing in momentum wouldn’t last long, as Eagles forward Oskar Olausson flew down the left-wing boards before snapping a wrister from the circle that would light the lamp and give Colorado a 4-1 lead at the 15:46 mark of the second stanza.
Bakersfield stormed back in the third period, outshooting the Eagles 14-8 in the final frame and producing a pair of goals. The first tally came when Broberg snagged a loose puck on top of the crease and belted it home to slice Colorado’s lead to 4-2 just 6:49 into the period.
A power play late in the period would see the Condors pull Rodrigue for the extra attacker and the move would pay off, as forward Greg McKegg snapped a shot from between the circles that would light the lamp and cut the deficit to 4-3 with 6:20 still left to play in the contest.
Bakersfield would pull Rodrigue once more in the final two minutes of the game, but the Eagles would fend off the onslaught to hold on for the 4-3 win.
Colorado put up a season-high 39 shots in the contest, while the Condors posted 37 shots of their own. The Eagles finished the night 0-for-3 on the power play and 0-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they return home to host the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Friday, November 18th 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.
