LOVELAND, CO. – Ontario scored three-straight goals to erase a 1-0 deficit and defeat the Colorado Eagles 3-2 on Friday. Reign forward Glenn Gawdin netted a pair of power-play tallies, while goaltender Pheonix Copley stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced to earn the win in net. Ontario dominated the specialty teams battle, finishing 2-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Colorado would earn the only power play opportunity of the first period but would be held off the scoresheet, as the two teams left for the first intermission with the contest still scoreless.
The second period would see both netminders steal the show, as the Reign outshot the Eagles 13-10 in the middle frame, but neither side would surrender a goal and the game would remain scoreless after 40 minutes of play.
Colorado would finally net the game’s first goal just 39 seconds into the third period when forward Tristen Nielsen lifted a backhander from the side of the crease past Copley, putting the Eagles on top, 1-0.
Ontario responded less than three minutes later when forward Taylor Ward darted down the ice before roofing the puck into the back of the net, evening the score at 1-1 at the 2:51 mark of the final frame.
A four-minute, double minor for high-sticking would put the Reign on an extended power play and shift the momentum in the contest. Just four seconds into the man-advantage, Gawdin stationed himself between the circles before deflecting a shot from the point past Colorado goalie Trent Miner. The tally would give Ontario a 2-1 edge with 10:36 remaining in the contest.
The Reign would then take advantage of the back half of the double-minor, as Gawdin spun and fired a wrister from the slot that would light the lamp and extend Ontario’s advantage to 3-1 at the 9:57 mark of the period.
The Eagles would crawl closer when forward Jayson Megna fielded a cross-slot pass and tucked it between the leg pads of Copley, trimming the deficit to 3-2 with 4:50 still left to play.
Colorado would pull Miner in favor of the extra attacker, but would come no closer, falling by a final score of 3-2.
Miner suffered the loss in net, allowing three goals on 31 shots.
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