LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado defenseman Jordan Gross scored midway through the second period to send an estimated 7,000 stuffed animals flying onto the ice, as the Eagles topped the Bakersfield Condors, 2-1 during the team’s annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ event. Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced to earn the victory in net, while defenseman Justin Barron netted the game-winning goal, as the Eagles finished their eight-game homestand riding a three-game winning streak.
After a scoreless first period that saw each team go 0-for-2 on the power play, Colorado would finally breakthrough in the second period when Gross snagged a pass between the circles and wired a wrister into the back of the net at the 10:43 mark of the middle frame. The goal was Gross’ sixth of the season and gave the Eagles a 1-0 edge in the contest.
The advantage would grow less than six minutes later when Barron skated to the top of the left-wing circle and snapped a wrister past Condors’ goalie Ilya Konovalov to put the Eagles on top, 2-0 with 3:40 left to play in the period.
Still in possession of a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play, Colorado would watch the advantage be cut in half when Bakersfield forward Dino Kambeitz fired a shot from the right-wing circle that would light the lamp and trim the deficit to 2-1 at the 4:03 mark of the final frame.
The Condors would pull Konovalov in favor of the extra attacker in the final minute of the contest, but Francouz and the Eagles would stand tall to hold on for the 2-1 win.
Bakersfield outshot Colorado by a final count of 34-25, as the Eagles went 0-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
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