LOVELAND, CO. – The Colorado Eagles tied a team record for consecutive wins dating back to the 2006-07 season, as the Eagles knocked off the Utah Grizzlies 7-1 on Saturday for their 15th straight victory. Forward Alex Belzile potted a pair of goals, while goaltender Clarke Saunders turned aside 26 of Utah’s 27 shots to collect his 10th straight win in net. 10 different Eagles posted a point on the night, while six Eagles skaters registered a multi-point night. Colorado’s 15-game winning streak now ties the Eagles with the 2008-09 Victoria Salmon Kings for the third longest winning streak in ECHL history.
The Eagles struck first in the contest when forward Luke Salazar fired a shot from the blue line that deflected off a Grizzlies defender in front of the net and sailed past Utah goaltender Troy Redmann to give Colorado the 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the contest.
Colorado would strike again on a 5-on-3 power play, as defenseman Matt Register wired a slapshot from the point into the back of the net, extending the Eagles advantage to 2-0 with 6:02 left in the first period.
A penalty-filled second period led to consecutive 5-on-3 power plays for the Grizzlies, with forward Colin Martin capitalizing on a deflection of a shot from the point that beat Saunders and cut the Colorado lead to 2-1 at the 8:55 mark of the middle frame.
The Eagles would battle on and find an answer less than seven minutes later when forward Johhny Lazo launched a wrist shot from the right circle that would light the lamp and put Colorado up 3-1.
With Colorado enjoying a power play of its own later in the period, a nifty cross-slot pass from Salazar hit the tape of Belzile, who would then slam the puck into the back of the net and grow the Eagles advantage to 4-1 with 1:34 remaining in the second stanza.
The Eagles launched a scoring bonanza in the third period, which started when Belzile stuffed in a rebound on top of the crease at the 6:53 mark of the final frame to increase the Colorado lead to 5-1. Less than three minutes later, forward Jackson Houck sent a shot along the ice from the bottom of the circle, beating Redmann through the legs and pumping the Eagles lead to 6-1. With just 7:48 left in regulation, an odd-man rush saw forward Kenny Brooks lace a shot from the right circle into the net to stretch the Eagles advantage to 7-1.
Colorado finished the night going 2-for-6 on the man-advantage, while shutting down six of the Grizzlies seven power plays in the contest.
The Eagles continue their eight-game home stand when they take on the South Carolina Stingrays on Wednesday, March 1st at 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center.
With Colorado Eagles release