Wild Second Period Sends Eagles to 5-3 Win over Moose
Dec 17, 2019
LOVELAND, CO. – The Colorado Eagles and Manitoba Moose would combine for six goals in the second period, but a pair of goals from Igor Shvyrev and a three-point performance from Kevin Connauton would push the Eagles to a 5-3 victory over the Moose on Tuesday. Goaltender Adam Werner earned the win in net, making 33 saves on 36 shots, including a 16-save effort in the third period.
Colorado would hop on the board first when Shvyrev skated to the right-wing corner before sweeping a shot toward the net that would elude Moose goalie Mikhail Berdin. The goal was Shvyrev’s fourth tally of the season and gave the Eagles a 1-0 edge with just 1:07 remaining in the opening 20 minutes of action.
Things would break open in the second period, as Manitoba forward Seth Griffith danced across the top of the crease before feeding the puck past Werner. The goal would tie the game at 1-1 just 1:33 into the middle frame.
A Moose power play would then set up forward C.J. Seuss to snap a shot from the slot into the back of the net to give Manitoba a 2-1 edge at the 5:26 mark of the period.
The Eagles would strike back when forward Colin Campbell collected a puck in the left-wing corner before spinning and firing a shot that would light the lamp and knot the score at 2-2 with 8:14 left to play in the second stanza.
The back-and-forth play would continue, as another Moose power play would lead to forward Sklyler McKenizie belting a shot from the bottom of the left-wing circle past Werner to give Manitoba a 3-2 advantage at the 14:39 mark of the period.
Colorado would generate an answer less than a minute later when Shvyrev tracked down a loose puck at the top of the right-wing circle and sent a wrister into the back of the net to tie the contest at 3-3.
With time ticking down, Connauton would intercept a puck outside the Moose blue line and stickhandle his way to the low slot where he would lift a backhander past Berdin, giving Colorado a 4-3 lead with only 19 seconds remaining in the second period of play.
Manitoba would stage a relentless attack in the third period, outshooting the Eagles, 16-7. Despite a bevy of opportunities, the Moose would be held off the scoresheet by Werner who turned aside all 16 opportunities. In addition, Colorado would pad its lead when forward Sheldon Dries camped in front of the net on the power play and deflected a shot into the back of the net. The goal would stretch the Eagles advantage to 5-3 with 9:46 left to play in the contest.
Manitoba would pull Berdin in the final minutes of the contest in favor of the extra attacker. The move would not result in any additional offense, as Colorado would hold on for the 5-3 victory. The Eagles went 1-for-4 on the power play in the contest, while the Moose converted on two of their six chances on the man-advantage. Colorado was outshot in the game, 36-29.
The Eagles return to action when they host the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday, December 18th 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.
