LOVELAND – Powered by a hat trick performance by Chris Knowlton, with the final goal occurring with four seconds remaining, the Colorado Eagles erased a three-goal deficit to come-from-behind and defeat the Kalamazoo Wings 4-3 Sunday afternoon.
Physical play and suffocating defense made it nearly impossible for either team to generate shots on net in the first period. Kalamazoo out shot Colorado 5-3 in the period and in the process kept the Eagles off the scoreboard for the seventh time in their last eight games in the opening 20 minutes. 
Offense wasn’t a problem in the second period, especial for Kalamazoo. Striking for three goals in a five minute span the K-Wings jumped ahead to a 3-0 lead. Faking a shot to freeze the defense, Gergo Nagy slid the puck to Matt Caria for his 24th goal of the season. Caria’s goal extended his goal and point streak to three games.
Two minutes later, Ludwig Blomstrand raced up the left wing and fired home his 30th goal of the season.
Kalamazoo capped off their second period barrage with a power-play strike from Michael Neal (18th) 13 minutes in the stanza.
Starting the comeback, Kyle Kraemer (15th) cut the K-Wings lead to 3-1 by scoring on a rebound late in the period.
The third period belonged to Knowlton, who notched the natural hat trick. Knowlton (10th) earned his first tally from a wrister from the left circle four minutes in the stanza.
Continuing to build momentum, Knowlton (11th) jammed in a rebound midway in the period to tie the game at 3-3.
Completing the comeback, Knowlton (12th) redirected a shot over the shoulder of goaltender Oscar Dansk with four seconds remaining.
Dansk finished the game with 29 saves.
The victory clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles, while the K-Wings playoff magic number is now at seven points.
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