LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado Eagles forward Andrew Agozzino scored a power-play goal, a shorthanded goal and an even-strength, empty-netter to record his first playoff hat trick and propel the Eagles to a 4-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday. The victory now evens the best-of-five series at 1-1. Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz was sensational in net, stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced in the contest.
Colorado would energize the home crowd early in the contest when forward Julien Nantel grabbed the puck off an offensive zone faceoff and muscled a shot past Condors goalie Shane Starrett to give the Eagles an early 1-0 edge just 2:22 into the contest. The goal was Nantel’s first of the postseason and gave Colorado a one-goal lead that would be carried into the first intermission.
The second period would see the Eagles extend their lead when Agozzino created a turnover on the penalty kill and streaked down the ice on a 2-on-1 rush before snapping a wrister from the left circle that would light the lamp and give Colorado a 2-0 advantage at the 9:30 mark of the period. Bakersfield would have three power plays shut down in the middle frame and the Eagles would carry a 2-0 lead into the second intermission.
The Condors would scratch back early in the third period when defenseman Ethan Bear fired a shot from the blue line that would weave its way through traffic and past Francouz to cut Colorado’s advantage to 2-1 just 1:34 into the final frame.
The Eagles would regain their two-goal cushion when Agozzino stickhandled his way into the zone on the power play before unfurling a wrister from the left circle that would beat Starrett and give Colorado a 3-1 lead at the 12:29 mark of the period.
With time ticking away and Starrett pulled in favor of the extra attacker, Agozzino would track down a turnover at center ice and skate the puck just inside the Condors blue line before burying a shot in the vacant net. The goal capped-off the hat trick and gave Colorado a 4-1 advantage with nine seconds left to play in regulation.
Colorado finished the night going 1-for-7 on the power play and a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill. Bakersfield outshot the Eagles in the contest, 30-22.
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