Hot Start Propels Chicago to 5-1 Win over Colorado
Oct 6, 2018
LOVELAND, CO. – The Chicago Wolves scored two goals in the first 1:15 of the game, while forwards Reid Duke and Gage Quinney each scored a pair of goals in the Wolves 5-1 victory over the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center on Saturday. Chicago goaltender Max Legace claimed the win in net, turning aside 24 of the 25 shots thrown his way. Defenseman Nicolas Meloche scored the Eagles lone goal, while goaltender Spencer Martin suffered the loss, surrendering five goals on 31 shots.
Chicago wasted little time in opening a 1-0 lead, as Quinney would snag a rebound off the end wall and flip the puck into the net to give the Wolves the one-goal advantage just 1:05 into the contest. It would take only 10 more seconds for Chicago to light the lamp for a second time, as a mishandled puck in the slot would be snagged by Duke and snapped into the goal to extend the Wolves lead to 2-0.
Colorado would stage a tremendous penalty kill by fighting off a full, two-minute 5-on-3 power play for Chicago and the subsequent two-minute 5-on-4 man-advantage with less than 10 minutes gone in the game.
Later in the first period, Chicago forward Stefan Matteau would collect a rebound on top of the crease and send a shot past Martin to jump the Wolves lead to 3-0 with 8:26 left to play in the first frame.
Colorado would strike back 25 seconds later, when Meloche fielded a drop pass in the high slot and snapped a wrister past Legace to trim the deficit to 3-1.
A massive collision behind the Chicago net would lead to a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging assessed to Eagles defenseman Sergei Boikov. Colorado would rise to the occasion and kill off the five-minute major power play in its entirety.
The second period would see the Wolves stretch their lead when a turnover at center ice set up Duke to fire a shot from between the circles that would beat Martin upstairs and give Chicago the 4-1 advantage at the 6:35 mark of the middle frame.
The Wolves would add another goal with 6:36 left to play in the third period when Quinney won a goal-mouth scramble and flicked the puck into the net to seal Chicago’s 5-1 win.
Colorado went a perfect 9-for-9 on the penalty kill, which included two different 5-on-3 power plays, a five-minute major power play and two separate four-minute, double minor power plays for the Wolves. However, the Eagles were stymied on the man-advantage, finishing the evening 0-for-7. Chicago outshot Colorado 31-25 in the contest.
The Eagles return to action on Friday, October 12th when they travel to the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas to take on the San Antonio Rampage at 6:30pm MT.
Season tickets for the 2018-19 season are on-sale now and get you the best seats at the best price for every home game, plus guaranteed playoff tickets! Season tickets start at just $17 per seat per game, become part of the team and reserve your seats today by calling the Eagles ticketing department at 970-686-SHOT (7468).
