Eagles Rally to Top Roadrunners 3-2 in a Shootout
Feb 1, 2020
TUCSON, AZ. – Eagles defenseman Jacob MacDonald scored the game-tying goal late in the third period to force overtime, while forward Jayson Megna would net the game-winner in a shootout, as Colorado defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 3-2 on Saturday. Goaltender Hunter Miska stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced through 65 minutes of action and shutdown all five shooters in the shootout to collect his ninth win of the season in net. The victory not only completes the two-game sweep of the Roadrunners, but now pulls the Eagles within six points of Tucson for first place in the AHL’s Pacific Division.
Colorado would outshoot the Roadrunners 16-9 in the opening period of play, but some stellar saves from Miska and Tucson goalie Ivan Prosvetov would keep the scoresheet clean, as the two teams would head to the first intermission with the game still scoreless.
The scoring would finally start in the second period when Colorado forward Michael Joly stuffed home a rebound in the crease to give the Eagles the 1-0 edge at the 6:25 mark of the middle frame.
The Roadrunners would generate an answer just 3:54 later when defenseman Cam Dineen skated through the left-wing circle before snapping a shot past Miska to tie the game at 1-1. Tucson would then grab its first lead of the night when forward Michael Bunting capitalized on an Eagles turnover deep in the Colorado zone, firing a shot that would be turned aside by Miska but sweeping home the rebound to put the Roadrunners on top 2-1 with 3:55 left to play in the second stanza.
Still on top 2-1 as the two teams took to the ice for the third period, Tucson would watch as the Eagles earned a power play with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. MacDonald would make good on the man-advantage when he snagged a pass across the top of the crease and tapped the puck home. The tally was MacDonald’s 10th of the season and tied the game at 2-2 at the 14:29 mark of the final frame.
With 60 minutes not being enough to determine a winner, Colorado and Tucson would head to a sudden-death overtime. The Roadrunners would outshoot the Eagles 4-2 in the extra session, but more solid work from both netminders would force the game to a shootout still deadlocked at 2-2.
Miska would slam the door on all five Tucson skaters in the shootout, while Megna slipped a shot past Prosvetov in the fifth round to give Colorado the 3-2 victory.
The Eagles were a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, while also going 1-for-4 on the man-advantage. Colorado finished the contest by outshooting the Roadrunners, 33-32.
The Eagles return to action when they host the San Jose Barracuda on Friday, February 7th at 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center.
Tickets for all regular season contests are on sale now and can be purchased at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling (970) 686-SHOT.
