Colorado Storms Back for 4-3 Win over Heat
Mar 18, 2022
LOVELAND, CO. – Eagles forward Shane Bowers scored the game-winning goal with 5:15 remaining in the contest, as Colorado rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Stockton Heat, 4-3 on Friday. Goaltender Justus Annunen earned the victory in net, making 28 saves on 31 shots. Forwards Andreas Wingerli, Jayson Megna and Jean-Luc Foudy also found the back of the net in the win.
Stockton would jump on top early when a power play set up forward Jakob Pelletier to snag a cross-slot pass on the rush and swipe the puck into the back of the net. The goal was Pelletier’s team-leading 23rd of the season and gave the Heat a 1-0 edge just 4:56 into the contest.
Colorado would fail to cash in on the two power-play opportunities it received in the opening 20 minutes of play and the two teams would head to the first intermission with Stockton still holding a 1-0 advantage.
The deficit would grow when Heat forward Luke Philp fired a shot from between the circles that would deflect off of an Eagles stick and past Annunen to put Stockton up, 2-0 at the 8:11 mark of the second period.
Colorado would finally get on the scoreboard when Foudy weaved through the left-wing circle before snapping a wrister that would light the lamp and trim the Heat’s lead to 2-1 with 8:28 remaining in the middle frame.
The Eagles would level the score on a 2-on-1, shorthanded rush when Wingerli fielded a rebound at the side of the crease and flipped the puck into the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2 at the 17:44 mark of the period.
With the contest still deadlocked at 2-2 as the puck dropped on the third period, a Stockton power play would push the Heat back on top when forward Matthew Phillips banged a shot along the ice that would weave its way past Annunen. The goal would be reviewed, as Annunen was bumped into during a play that would also see the net come off the moorings. After a video review by the officials, it would be ruled a good goal and Stockton would grab a 3-2 lead just 1:13 into the period.
Colorado would once again summon an answer as Martin Kaut fired a shot from the blue line that would be tipped by Megna, sending it past Heat goaltender Dustin Wolf. The goal was Megna’s seventh of the year and tied the game at 3-3 with 15:01 left in the game.
The Eagles would claim their first lead of the game when Bowers corralled a loose puck in the low slot and smashed it into the back of the net to give Colorado a 4-3 edge at the 14:45 mark of the final stanza.
Stockton would pull Wolf in favor of the extra attacker in the final two minutes of the contest, but the Eagles would hold strong and secure the 4-3 victory. Colorado outshot the Heat 42-31, as the Eagles finished the night going 0-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the Stockton Heat on Saturday, March 19th at 7:05 pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center. 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.
