LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado forward Tye Felhaber notched two goals and an assist, while forwards Alex Barre-Boulet, Tristen Nielsen and Jayson Megna each posted a goal and an assist, as the Eagles defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 6-2 on Friday. Colorado dominated the specialty teams battle, finishing 2-for-3 on the power play and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. Goaltender Trent Miner improved to 3-0 on the season, stopping 25 of the 27 shots he faced.
Tucson would strike just 14 seconds into the contest, as forward Cameron Hebig cut to the low slot before fielding a pass from behind the net and stuffing it past Miner. The goal was Hebig’s seventh of the season and gave the Roadrunners an early 1-0 edge.
Needing a response, the Eagles would get one from Barre-Boulet, as he belted home a rebound at the top of the crease, tying the game at 1-1 at the 4:08 mark of the first period.
Tucson would go on to outshoot Colorado 16-12, as the two teams headed to the first intermission with contest till deadlocked, 1-1
An Eagles power play early in the second period would allow Megna to camp out at the side of the crease, where he would collect a pass and flick the puck into the back of the net. The goal was Megna’s sixth of the season and gave Colorado a 2-1 advantage at the 1:36 mark of the second period.
The lead would be extinguished when Hebig took advantage of a turnover, as he lit the lamp with a wrister from between the circles, evening the score at 2-2 with 13:03 left to play in the middle frame.
The momentum would swing back the other direction when Felhaber skated down the end line before snapping home a shot from the top of the crease, giving Colorado a 3-2 edge at the 12:35 mark of the second stanza.
Still leading 3-2 as the puck dropped on the third period, the Eagles would get a little breathing room when Nielsen settled a rebound at the side of the crease and snapped it past goalie Matthew Villalta, putting Colorado up 4-2 with 9:42 remaining in the contest.
Another Eagles power play would lead to another goal, as Felhaber buried a wrist shot from the left-wing boards, extending Colorado’s lead to 5-2 at the 16:40 mark of the final frame.
The Roadrunners would pull Villalta in favor of the extra attacker, but the move would lead to an empty-netter for Eagles forward Mark Senden, rounding out the 6-2 score with 2:27 left in the game.
Villalta suffered the loss in net, allowing five goals on 35 shots.