Eagles Have Firebirds On Brink Of Elimination

The Colorado Eagles came into Game 3 after leaving Loveland with a 3-2 win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 2. The Eagles played an aggressive, hard-hitting game in the second contest of the series. If that continued, Colorado would have no problems on Sunday in Palm Desert. The injury bug is still affecting the Eagles, as Jason Polin took a hit in Thursday’s contest and would not return due to an upper body injury.

A win for the Eagles would push the Firebirds to the brink of elimination and set the table for either Calgary or Abbotsford in round three.

First Period

It was a little bit of a sluggish start for both the Eagles and the Firebirds. Things did get chippy with some pushing around after the whistle. One instance would cause a four-on-four as Gustav Rydahl and Matt Tennyson went to the box for matching roughing penalties.

The best scoring chance in the frame was by Oskar Olausson when he drove hard to the net. Olausson took the puck and drove down around the edges of the faceoff circle, dipping his shoulder deep into the defenseman to get the chance. He was able to get the shot off, but it was an easy stop for goaltender Joey Daccord. Honestly, it was a play that Olausson never really makes. He usually stays in the slot for the shot rather than drive towards the net. The period would end with no score. 

Second Period

The offensive woes continued all through the second for both sides. Colorado was just not getting many chances when they were playing at even strength. They were showing a hard forecheck through the two periods, but it did not create any chances for them.

The best chances for Colorado on the penalty kill came in the second. There were two penalties about halfway through the period, yielding five shorthanded chances for the Firebirds. About three minutes after the last Colorado penalty, the Eagles finally got a power play themselves. Managing only one shot during a minute-long five-on-three, Colorado struggled to connect with their opportunity. The period would once again end scoreless.

Around The AHL

• Wranglers End Season in Series Loss to Firebirds
• Wranglers Advance, Set To Play Coachella Valley This Week
• Eagles Lose Game 5, Eliminated From Playoffs
• Expanded AHL Playoffs Don’t Quite Pay Off
• Firebirds Tie Series on True’s Shorthanded Stunner

Third Period and Overtime 

The third frame would hold the same pace as the previous two periods did. Just two minutes into the third, Jeremy McKenna would be sent to the sin bin to give Colorado their second power play opportunity. It wasn’t the best looking one the Eagles have had, being unable to set up in the Firebirds zone until twenty seconds remained on the man advantage.

Six minutes later, Mitchell Vande Sompel would head to the box, but the Firebirds could not convert. Matching minors with just nineteen seconds left in regulation would start overtime start as four-on-four. Then, only 1:40 into extra time, Alex Galchenyuk was down low in the Firebirds zone. He tossed it up to Keaton Middleton at the top of the slot who took the shot. The puck deflected off of a defenseman and past Daccord for the game winner and series lead. 

Middzy scores the first goal of the game and becomes our OT HERO#EaglesCountry | #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/q65Ikn1ifM

— x – Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) May 1, 2023

Conclusion

The Eagles lacked the same hard-hitting play through the entire game that was present in both Game 1 and Game 2. It was there for the first period, but then it was as if they turned that feature off in a video game. Something just appeared…off. Colorado was forechecking hard as usual, but the ability to get the puck deep was not there.

During the overtime period however, the Eagles looked dominant. Colorado put the only shot on goal, but it was the one that counted the most. If the Eagles can play a game more like they did in Game 2, they will certainly have the next game in the bag.

Game 4 will be on Wednesday, May 3 (7:00pm PT / 8:00pm MT) in Palm Desert.