LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado forward Chris Wagner notched two goals and an assist, while fellow forward Spencer Smallman added a goal and an assist, as the Eagles rallied for a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday. Despite trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes of play, Colorado would level the score in the second period before erupting for a season-high four goals in the final frame. Arvid Holm claimed his second-consecutive win in net, making 27 saves on 30 shots. The victory also completed the Eagles two-game sweep of the Gulls.
San Diego would net the game’s first goal when forward Josh Lopina lit the lamp with a wrister from between the circles, giving the Gulls a 1-0 edge just 6:04 into the contest. Colorado would then go on to kill off two separate San Diego power plays, but the Gulls would carry their 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.
The Eagles would square things up when Smallman fielded a pass in the low slot and snapped the puck past San Diego goalie Calle Clang. The goal was Smallman’s 11th of the season and tied the game at 1-1 at the 7:05 mark of the second period.
Each team would earn one opportunity on the man-advantage in the middle frame, but neither side would take advantage and the two teams headed to the second intermission still deadlocked at 1-1.
A wild third period would start with Colorado defenseman Corey Schueneman taking advantage of traffic in front of the net, as he blistered home a slapshot from the blue line, giving the Eagles a 2-1 edge at the 3:57 mark.
A San Diego power play would be flipped on its head when Colorado defenseman Keaton Middleton buried a towering slapshot from the left point, extending the Eagles lead to 3-1 with 14:26 left to play in the contest.
The Gulls would take advantage of the remaining time on the man-advantage, as forward Brayden Tracey beat Holm with a wrister from the slot, slicing the deficit to 3-2 at the 6:19 mark of the final frame.
Wagner would strike for the first time on the night, just 10 seconds later, as he steered home a pass at the top of the crease, putting Colorado up 4-2.
With time ticking down, San Diego would inch closer when forward Andrew Agozzino tucked home a rebound at the side of the crease, trimming the Eagles lead to 4-3 with 2:49 still remaining.
The Gulls would then pull Clang in favor of the extra attacker, but it would be Wagner who would capitalize with an empty-netter from his own zone, sealing the 5-3 score at the 19:30 mark of the period.
Colorado outshot San Diego by a final count of 36-30, as the Eagles finished the night going 0-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Clang suffered the loss in net, allowing four goals on 35 shots.
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