INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – Scoring the first goal has been very important in games between the Colorado Eagles and Missouri Mavericks this season. Every game they have played, including all four games in the playoffs have been won by the first team to score.
On Thursday night, Colorado came out quickly and scored the first goal when Eagles defenceman Kyle Peto blasted the puck past Mavericks goalie Robby Nolan just 4:45 into the first period . Scott May and Daymen Rycroft were in on the assist.
Less than three minutes later, the Eagles scored their second goal, the eventual game-winner, off a face off win by May. The puck landed on Adam Chorneyko’s stick and his quick shot surprised Nolan for a 2-0 Eagles lead that held up heading to the first intermission.
Despite 25 total shots between the two teams in the second stanza, the only goal came very late in the period.
Nick Sirota celebrates his second period goal
The final period saw a determined Mavericks team out shoot the Eagles 10-5, but no goals were scored by either team. The visitors took the 2-1 victory in the game and the 3-1 series win.
Colorado Eagles goal tender Kyle Jones, in his first start of the series, stopped 34 of 35 shots for the win. Robby Nolan, the Mavericks backstopper, saved 22 of 24 shots on goal, taking the loss.
The Eagles advance to the Turner Conference Finals against either the Fort Wayne Komets or Rapid City Rush, depending on the results of their semi-finals series.
Contact the writer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at daniel.russell@prohockeynews.com
