Eagles Clinch Playoff Spot Despite Loss

LOVELAND, Colo. –  With a devastating loss to the Tucson Roadrunners just hours earlier, the Colorado Eagles would have another opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on Sunday with a regulation win or overtime loss. Even though there were no goals scored until the third period, it was still a very entertaining hockey game. What was a disappointing ending for Colorado became bittersweet as they would walk away with one point. The Eagles then got help from around the league to clinch a playoff spot. 

First Period

There wasn’t much as in terms of scoring in the period, but there still a lot of chances. Alex Galchenyuk was given the puck while in the crease, but couldn’t get the puck over the pads of Tucson goaltender David Tendeck. Galchenyuk was able to get about three or four shots before getting pushed away. Steven Kampfer was able to get around Ryan Merkley and get the best chance for the Roadrunners. The best part of the of the period though was a heavyweight battle between Bokondji Imama and Keaton Middleton after a Middleton hit on Hudson Elynuk. The fight would end in a draw, but got the crowd into the game early nonetheless. 

Second Period

The second was another scoreless period from the Eagles and the Roadrunners. Colorado absolutely dominated the period in terms of puck possession and movement. Only 38 seconds into the period, Adam Cracknell would get called on a holding penalty and that would allow Colorado to hit the ground running. From that point forward, it was all Eagles as they outshot the Roadrunners 14-4 in the period. Even when Oskar Olausson was put in the sin bin for Colorado, they would be the ones with the scoring chances, not Tucson. The Eagles would get one more chance on the power play when Cameron Hebig got called for a cross check in the corner. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to convert on the man advantage and the game was still scoreless. 

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Third Period and Overtime

The scoring finally broke open in the third period for the Eagles first. With about six minutes left, Mikhail Maltsev carried it into the Tucson zone and sent a pass to the right over to Spencer Smallman. He took a snapshot from the right circle and Maltsev gathered the rebound in the slot to backhand it in. The Eagles thought they had it in the bag, but Tucson pulled Tendeck to get the extra attacker. At 1:20 left, Michael Carcone took a shot through traffic and got the tying goal.

Overtime would go back and forth, but two minutes into the frame, Merkley stood at the blue line waiting to pass the puck. As he tried to pass, Carcone picked off of Merkley’s stick and raced down the ice. He would then whip it in from the slot for the game winner, 3-2.

Bonus Interview With Cal Burke

Conclusion

The Eagles played a game that did not allow for the Roadrunners to get any momentum in the second period. Both teams struggled on the power play, but they made their penalty kill look like some of the best in the league. Ryan Wagner made it a real pain for Tucson as he kept stealing the puck and making an effort to score. He happens to lead the league in shorthanded goals, and he showed why.

The Eagles may have dropped both games to the Roadrunners, but the overtime loss became a bittersweet one. With the point gained in the loss and the San Jose Barracuda loss, the Eagles had their ticket punched to the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.