O’Connor Nets a Pair in Colorado’s 4-3 Victory at Stockton
Jan 18, 2020
STOCKTON, CA. – Colorado forward Logan O’Connor scored two goals, while defenseman Dan Renouf buried the game-winning goal with 58 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Eagles a 4-3 win over the Stockton Heat on Saturday. O’Connor, Renouf and forward T.J. Tynan all finished with multi-point performances, while forward A.J. Greer added an assist to extend his point streak to six games. Hunter Miska earned the win in net, making 38 saves on 41 shots. The victory now pulls the Eagles within five points of Stockton for second place in the AHL’s pacific division.
O’Connor would open the scoring when he snagged a turnover in the right-wing circle and snapped a shot past Heat goalie Jon Gillies. The goal gave Colorado a 1-0 edge just 4:55 into the contest and extended O’Connor’s point streak to four games.
A breakdown in transition would lead to the game-tying tally, as defenseman Corey Schueneman would slide the puck to the right side of the crease where forward Austin Czarnik would tap it home. The goal would knot the score at 1-1 with 7:05 remaining in the opening 20 minutes of play.
The Eagles would earn three opportunities on the power play in the first period but would not be able to capitalize and the two teams would head to the first intermission with the game still tied at 1-1.
Colorado would build upon its lead early in the second period when Sheldon Dries fed a pass from behind the net to the top of the crease, setting up forward Ryan Wagner to bash a shot into the back of the net to give the Eagles a 2-1 edge at the 4:55 mark of the middle frame. Colorado would go on to outshoot Stockton 14-11 in the second period and would head to the second intermission still on top, 2-1.
The Eagles would stretch their lead 4:08 into the third period when O’Connor camped out in the slot and tipped a shot past Gillies to push Colorado’s advantage to 3-1.
The Heat would find a quick answer, as forward Alex Gallant would skate to the bottom of the right-wing circle before lifting a shot past Miska to trim the Eagles lead to 3-2 at the 5:51 mark of the final frame.
Still clinging to a one-goal advantage with time ticking down, Colorado would watch the lead disappear when Stockton forward Alan Quine wrapped behind the net before lighting the lamp with a backhander. The goal would tie the game at 3-3 with 2:18 left to play in the contest.
Trying to avert overtime, Renouf would skate to the blue line and unfurl a slapshot that would weave through traffic and into the back of the net with only 57.7 remaining in regulation to give the Eagles a 4-3 edge, which they would protect until the final horn.
Colorado was outshot in the contest 41-29, as the Eagles went 0-for-3 on the power play. Colorado was not forced to kill off a single power play in the game for the first this season.
The Eagles conclude their four-game road trip when they take on the Stockton Heat on Monday, January 20th at 2:00pm MT at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.
Tickets for all regular season contests are on sale now and can be purchased at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling (970) 686-SHOT.
