LOVELAND, Colo. – Matt Garbowsky’s game-tying goal with 2.5 seconds left in the third period set the stage for another exciting comeback win for the Colorado Eagles this playoff season.
It took all of one overtime period and half of another to determine a winner in game one of the Kelly Cup Final best-of-seven series between the Eagles and the South Carolina Stingrays.
Colorado took the early lead on Garbowsky’s first goal of the game, a hard working goal in tight, assisted by Teigan Zahn and Julien Nantel at 16:11 of the first period.
Just past the halfway point of the second frame, South Carolina’s Scott Tanski evened the score by deflecting the puck past Lukas Hafner at 10:14.
Tanski celebrates his goal
With the scored tied 1-1 going into the third period, the Stingrays out-shot Colorado 8-7 and looked to be getting the best of the play. Their hard work was rewarded with 2:33 left in regulation when Steven McParland tipped a shot into the Eagles’ net for the 2-1 lead.
Colorado was not done though, and with Hafner on the bench for the extra attacker, Garbowsky managed to score a very late goal with 2.5 seconds left in regulation for the 2-2 tie to give the Eagles a chance in overtime.
Matt Garbowsky celebrates his tying goal
Although each team had some good scoring chances in the first extra period, with South Carolina firing 10 shots on goal and Colorado getting six chances, no goals were scored.
Colorado dominated play in the second extra session, firing six shots on goal to only one for South Carolina.
It was stellar defenseman, Matt Register, who slammed home the game winner on a power play opportunity for the Eagles at 10:52 of the fifth period to secure the 3-2 win for the home team.
South Carolina went 0 for 7 on the power play, while Colorado managed to convert on one of their seven chances with the man advantage.
Stingrays Goalie, Parker Milner, took the loss while saving 43 of 46 shots.
Milner makes a stop with the knob of his stick
Hafner saved 32 of 34 shots for the Eagles to record the win.
Game two of the Kelly Cup Finals will take place on Sunday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. The puck drops at 7:30 P.M. Mountain Time.
Article and Pictures courtesy of Terry Sanford for Prohockeynews.com
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