Eagles Dominate Barracuda In 8-0 Victory

LOVELAND, Colo. – The Colorado Eagles went into last night winning only two of the last five games. They would take on the San Jose Barracuda, a club that is one point out of a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Unfortunately, the Barracuda would look like they never showed up to the game, allowing four goals in the first two periods. The Eagles dominated from start to finish and didn’t give any room for San Jose to get any goals.

First Period

Let’s just say that the Eagles came rushing out of the gate and did not lay off of the gas at all. About six and half minutes into the period, Charles Hudon was in the box for a slashing minor and the Eagles’ penalty kill team tried to clear from the zone. Callahan Burke rushed to retrieve the puck in the neutral zone and took a shot that bounced off the pads of Barracuda goaltender Aaron Dell into the slot. It happened to bounce right onto Ryan Wagner’s stick and into the back of the net for a shorthanded goal. Then with 11:20 in the period, Alex Beaucage ran the puck into the San Jose zone and snapped a shot off of Dell’s pads right back to Riley McCourt. McCourt finished with a wrister for his first AHL goal. 

The Eagles Continue to Roll 

As the Eagles were out shooting the Barracuda 10-4 with just under five minutes left, Colorado continued to attack. Hudon gathered the puck at the point and tried to take a snapshot through traffic. It hit the feet of Patrick Holway and Mikhail Maltsev spun and whipped it home to make it 3-0. The last goal of the first was with about thirty seconds left in the period. Burke passed it up to Maltsev waiting at the blue line. Maltsev walked it over the line and sent a cross-ice pass to David Farrance in front of the crease. Farrance made it look easy with a backhand shot past a diving Dell to make it 4-0.

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Second Period

The second period started the same way as the first ended — with Colorado dominating. About five minutes into the period, the Eagles had been sent to the power play. Colorado was moving the puck around the zone trying to get a hole in the killers for the shot. Ben Meyers held it in the corner and sent it to the point up to Farrance. He sent it cross-ice over to Hudon for a one-timer and the easy goal to make it 5-0. As Colorado was again on the power play, they were moving the puck in the zone well. Meyers once again sent it to the point to Farrance and he sent a pass low to Maltsev for the goal as they made it 6-0.

Depth Steps Up

Colorado was acting like they had something to prove as they continued to apply pressure to San Jose. With roughly three and half minutes left, Meyers skated along the blue line and tried to turn the corner, but ran out of room. After a quick stop, he turned a pass to Luke Martin on the opposite point. Martin took the shot and Sampo Ranta got just the tip on it to get his ninth of the year.

As the period was wrapping up, Beaucage ran it down the boards avoiding two checks on the way. He whipped a shot from the right circle to put the Eagles ahead 8-0.

Third Period

Colorado would finally give some mercy to the Barracuda in the third period. Instead of goals, the teams would exchange penalties. They would exchange a total of three penalties each, but neither team had any success on the power play. In the end, the Barracuda looked like they never really showed up at all.

Video Interview: Colorado Head Coach Greg Cronin

Conclusion

Colorado dominated San Jose last night. They made it seem as though they never gave up on the play or stopped shooting. The Eagles’ offense was once again strong on the forecheck, like they had been in the first game in Rockford last weekend. What also helped is that they were able to convert some of those power play chances, going two for five for the night.

If the Eagles play like this again tonight, they will have no issues with the Barracuda in the second game.