Eagles Kick Off Homestand with 5-2 Victory over Calgary
Jan 10, 2025
LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado began a season-long, six-game homestand with a 5-2 win over the Calgary Wranglers on Friday. Forward Matthew Phillips and defenseman Devante Stephens led the way with a goal and an assist each, as 11 different Eagles skaters found their way onto the scoresheet. Goaltender Adam Scheel earned the win in net, making 23 saves on 25 shots to improve to 4-0-0 on the season.
A Colorado power play would see the Wranglers flip the script, as forward Dryden Hunt capped off a shorthanded, 2-on-1 rush with a goal from between the circles, putting Calgary on top 1-0 just 3:49 into the contest.
The Eagles would convert on the same power play when Phillips lit the lamp with a wrister from the right-wing circle, tying the game at 1-1 at the 5:09 mark of the first period.
Colorado would grab its first lead of the game just 3:03 later when forward Mark Senden swept home a shot from the top of the right-wing circle, giving the Eagles a 2-1 edge. The Wranglers would go on to outshoot Colorado 8-7 in the opening frame, but the Eagles carried their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Forward Jayson Megna would add his name to the score sheet when he sliced between the circles before burying a wrister, putting Colorado up 3-1 at the 2:42 mark of the second period.
Just 2:38 later, forward Jason Polin would camp out at the top of the crease where he would field a centering pass before roofing it past goaltender Devin Cooley, extending the Eagles advantage to 4-1.
Still trailing 4-1 as the puck dropped on the third period, Cooley would give way to Waltteri Ignatjew in net for the duration of the game. The Wranglers would also kick off the period by striking for their second shorthanded tally of the evening, this time off the tape of forward Clark Bishop from the slot, just 40 seconds into the third stanza. The goal was Bishop’s 15th of the season and sliced the deficit to 4-2.
As time ticked down, Calgary would pull Ignatjew in favor of the extra attacker, but it would be Stephens who would capitalize with an empty-netter from his own zone with 1:40 remaining in the contest.
Colorado finished the night going 1-for-5 on the power play and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Cooley suffered the loss in goal, allowing four goals on 16 shots, while Ignatjew stopped all six shots he faced.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the Calgary Wranglers on Saturday, January 11th at 7:05pm MT at Blue Arena. Single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling or texting the Eagles ticket office at (970) 686-SHOT.
