LOVELAND, Colo. – Game one of the Western Conference ECHL Playoffs continued the Utah Grizzlies’ regular season domination of the Colorado Eagles. In the ten regular season meetings between these two West Division rivals, Utah has beaten the Eagles seven times.
Colorado got off to a good start at 3:59 of the first period when Kyle Kraemer blasted the puck past Mark Owuya to score the first goal of the game on a pretty passing play with Kyle Ostrow and Tyler Fiddler assisting.
Mark Owuya in goal for Utah
Utah answered back at the 11:09 mark in period one with Eagle nemesis, Barry Almeida, who got free on the left side of Colorado goalie Clark Saunders to score the tying goal.
It was the second period that decided the Eagles’ fate though as back to back goals, the first by Brian Moore at 5:52 and the second from Matt Berry on a power play two minutes later, put the Grizzlies on top three to one.
Kyle Kraemer celebrates his second goal of the game
Kraemer continued his habit of elevating his game in the playoffs and struck again on a very similar play as his first period goal only this time it was Fiddler and Jake Marto setting him up for the score on another pretty passing play to bring them within one goal heading into the second intermission.
Period three saw no goals scored and no penalties taken as Utah went into defensive mode and Colorado was unable to break through for the tying goal, despite taking the last seven straight shots in the game.
It still takes four games to win the series, but losing game one at home is a setback for the Eagles, which they hope to rebound from with a win in game two.
The Eagles and Grizzlies meet again on Sunday Apr. 17 at 7:05 P.M. MDT.
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