Colorado Punches Playoff Ticket with 2-1 Win over Heat
Mar 30, 2022
STOCKTON, CA. – Colorado goaltender Hunter Miska made 28 saves on 29 shots, while forwards Cal Burke and Dylan Sikura each netted a goal, as the Eagles defeated the Stockton Heat, 2-1 on Wednesday. The two points earned in the standings now propels Colorado into a spot in the 2022 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. The Eagles have won three straight games and have gone 6-1-1 over their last eight road games.
A Stockton power play late in the first period would produce the game’s first goal, as forward Justin Kirkland wired a wrister from the left-wing circle past Miska to give the Heat a 1-0 edge at the 18:05 mark. Stockton would go on to outshoot the Eagles, 12-10 in the opening frame and carried a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.
Colorado would draw even on a hard-working effort by the fourth line that saw Burke pounce on a loose puck in the low slot and bash it home to tie the game at 1-1 just 2:41 into the second period. It would be the only goal surrendered by either side in the middle frame and the two teams would head to the second intermission with the contest still deadlocked at 1-1.
The Eagles would claim their first lead of the night when Sikura located a bouncing puck at the bottom of the left-wing circle before spinning and firing a shot that would beat Heat goalie Dustin Wolf and give Colorado a 2-1 advantage just 2:34 into the third period.
Still trailing as the contest entered its final minutes, Stockton would pull Wolf in favor of the extra attacker. Miska and the Eagles would give no ground, holding on for the 2-1 victory. Miska improved to 6-3-0 on the season and has only surrendered one goal over his last two starts.
Colorado outshot the Heat 36-29, as the Eagles finished the night going 0-for-7 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they travel to take on the Ontario Reign on Friday, April 1st at 8:00pm MT at Toyota Arena in Ontario, 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.
