Late Heroics Propel Colorado to 4-3 OT Win in Milwaukee
Feb 27, 2022
MILWAUKEE, WI. – Colorado forward Kiefer Sherwood netted a pair of goals, including the game-tying goal with 28 seconds remaining, while fellow forward Stefan Matteau scored the game-winner in OT as the Eagles defeated the Milwaukee Admirals, 4-3 in overtime on Sunday. Forward Sampo Ranta also found the back of the net in the win, while Jordan Gross chipped in three assists and Dylan Sikura added a pair. Colorado goaltender Justus Annunen collected his 19th victory of the season in net, turning aside 34 of the 37 shots he faced.
The Eagles would net the game’s first goal when Ranta banged home a rebound in the crease to give Colorado a 1-0 edge just 14 seconds into the contest. Matteau notched his first point as an Eagle with an assist on the tally.
Milwaukee would generate an equalizer when an Eagles turnover in their own zone set up forward Kole Sherwood to collect a pass across the top of the crease and tap the puck into the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1 with only 34 seconds remaining in the first period. The Admirals would go on to outshoot Colorado 17-8 in the opening 20 minutes and the two teams headed to the first intermission still tied, 1-1.
The Eagles would jump back on top when Sherwood led a 2-on-1 rush down the ice and capped it off when he flicked a backhander past Milwaukee goalie Connor Ingram to give Colorado a 2-1 advantage at the 10:47 mark of the second period. The Eagles would shut down an Admirals power play late in the middle frame and carried their 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
Milwaukee would storm back in the third period when forward Tommy Novak finished off an odd-man rush with a backhander that would elude Annunen and tie the game at 2-2 just 1:53 into the final frame. The Admirals would then claim their first lead of the night when defenseman Dylan Blujus fired a shot from the blue line that would take a deflection in the slot and hop into the back of the net to put Milwaukee on top 3-2 at the 11:35 mark of the period.
Colorado would be forced to pull Annunen in the final two minutes in favor of the extra attacker and the move would pay dividends. Gross slipped a pass from the blue line to the top of the left-wing circle where Sherwood would light the lamp with a blistering one-timer to tie the game at 3-3 with only 38 seconds left in regulation.
As the game moved into overtime Matteau would dart down the right-wing boards before snapping a wrister from the top of the circle that would beat Ingram and give the Eagles the 4-3 win at the 1:50 mark of overtime.
Colorado was outshot in the contest 37-21, as the Eagles finished the night 0-for-1 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they return home to take on the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday, March 2nd 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.
