Eagles Kick Off Road Trip with 2-1 OT Loss in Abbotsford
Oct 24, 2023
ABBOTSFORD, BC. – Abbotsford forward Vasily Podkolzin scored the game-winning goal with six-tenths of a second remaining in overtime to propel the Canucks to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles on Tuesday. Abbotsford goaltender Nikita Tolopilo picked up the win in net, stopping 34 of the 35 shots he faced. Eagles forward Riley Tufte scored his fourth goal of the season in the losing effort, while goalie Justus Annunen suffered the loss in net, allowing two goals on 24 shots.
Colorado would dominate the chances in the first period, outshooting the Canucks 19-9 in the opening 20 minutes. The Eagles would also earn the game’s first power play late in the first frame. However, a Colorado turnover would spring Abbotsford on a 2-on-1 rush that would be capped off with a wrister from forward John Stevens, giving the Canucks a 1-0 edge at the 19:17 mark of the period. The tally was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the Eagles this season and sent the visitors to the dressing room still trailing 1-0 after one period of play.
After killing off an Abbotsford power play early in the second period, Tufte would steal the puck away from a pair of Canucks at the blue line, sending him racing through the left-wing circle where he would light the lamp with a wrister. The goal tied the game at 1-1 at the 8:23 mark of the middle frame and also extended Tufte’s goal-scoring streak to three games.
Still deadlocked at 1-1 as play began in the third period, scoring chances would begin to dry up, as the Eagles were held to just four shots on goal in the final frame, while Abbotsford managed just three shots in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
As the game shifted into overtime, both teams would exchange opportunities, but as time ticked down, Podkolzin darted through the left-wing circle before cutting to the top of the crease and lifting a backhander past Annunen. The goal was his team-leading fifth of the season and secured the Canucks 2-1 victory.
Colorado outshot Abbotsford by a final count of 35-24, as the Eagles finished the night going 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the Abbotsford Canucks on Wednesday, October 25th at 8:00pm MT at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now and can be secured with a deposit of just $100 per seat.
