O’Connor Buries OT Winner to Give Colorado 4-3 Victory over Reign
Dec 15, 2018
ONTARIO, CA. – Colorado forward Logan O’Connor scored the game-winning goal just 23 seconds into overtime to give the Eagles a 4-3 victory over the Ontario Reign on Saturday. Fellow forward Andrew Agozzino collected two goals and an assist, while defenseman Nicolas Meloche finished with a pair of assists. Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz earned his 13th win of the season, stopping 33 of the 36 shots he faced.
Ontario forward Matt Moulson would start the scoring when he stuffed home a rebound in the crease to give the Reign a 1-0 edge just 1:06 into the contest. The lead would be stretched to 2-0 when another net mouth scramble led to forward Phillippe Maillet poking the puck past Francouz at the 7:20 mark of the opening stanza.
Colorado would strike back when Agozzino skated into the offensive zone and snapped a wrister from the top of the right circle that would light the lamp and trim the deficit to 2-1 with 6:40 remaining in the first period.
Eagles forward Grayson Downing would even things up on the scoreboard when a good effort on the forecheck sent a rebound into the crease and Downing would muscle the puck past Ontario goalie Peter Budaj to tie the game at 2-2 with only 2:34 remaining in the opening 20 minutes of action.
The second period would see Colorado control the tempo of the contest, outshooting the Reign 17-6. Some strong saves from Budaj, however, would prevent the Eagles from generating a goal and the two teams would head to the second intermission still tied at 2-2.
Reign Forward Mikey Eyssimont put Ontario back on top just 42 seconds into the third period when he wrapped behind the net and fed the puck into the cage to give the Reign a 3-2 advantage.
Needing an answer, it would once again be Agozzino to deliver, as he snagged a puck just inside the top of the left-wing circle before rifling a wrister past Budaj to even the game at 3-3 at the 7:10 mark of the final frame.
Needing more than 60 minutes of regulation to determine a winner, the two teams would head to overtime. Only 23 seconds into the extra session, O’Connor would drive down the right wing before powering his way to the low-slot and lifting a backhander into the net to give Colorado the 4-3 victory.
The Eagles finished the night going 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Reign went 0-for-1 on the man-advantage.
Colorado returns to action when they host the Bakersfield Condors on Friday, December 21st at 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center.
Single-game tickets for the 2018-19 season are on-sale now and start at just $18 per seat. Purchase your seats today by visiting the Budweiser Events Center box office, online at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling the Eagles ticketing department at 970-686-SHOT (7468).
