For the Colorado Eagles, the last few weeks have been showing promise. Beginning the year with a handful of injuries and only adding to the list as the season went on, the first game of the series against the Milwaukee Admirals welcomed back some key players.
Justus Annunen took the ice against the Calgary Wranglers on Dec. 23 after a five-week injury, and Nate Clurman took the ice in tonight’s contest after a four-game absence with a cut from a skate.
Their returns to the ice were noticeable, and a stronger roster contributed to the single point from the overtime 1–0 loss.
First period
When the game started, it didn’t originally seem like it would be a battle of the goalies. Both teams were fast and aggressive, but it was clear the Eagles were thriving in the offensive zone. For the first 13 minutes of play, the Admirals didn’t fire a single shot.
Colorado put up 15 shots for the period. Riley Tufte and Alex Beaucage contributed two and three shots, respectively.
Second period
By the second frame, the game became more competitive. Not only did Milwaukee take more shots, but the Eagles were also allowed to take less.
Even with a two-minute power play favoring Colorado, the team couldn’t find the back of the net, despite several close calls.
Third period
With only 20 minutes to go, the pressure was on. Similar to the second period, there was less and less room for error.
At the three-minute mark, the Milwaukee almost had its opportunity. The Eagles received a penalty for having too many men on the ice, and the Admirals almost capitalized.
Thanks to key saves from Annunen, the game remained scoreless. The Eagles only took five shots compared to four from the Admirals.
Overtime
Callahan Burke fired the Eagles’ only shot in overtime, and it took nearly thirty seconds to put up.
Facing only two shots in overtime, Annunen gave up the only goal of the game only one minute into overtime.
The Eagles take all the way to OT but the Admirals strike first as Marc Del Gaizo gets the game winner. #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/iEw7VR353j
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) January 6, 2024
The two teams will face off again tomorrow at 5 p.m.
Analysis
Even though the Eagles dropped the game, there is still plenty of good news.
Annunen has found his stride after his injury and frequently keeps the team afloat. He came up with 20 of 21 saves for the night and played two clean games against the Iowa Wild on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30.
Jean-Luc Foudy has been a huge topic of conversation this season. Nearly three months into the regular season, he has yet to play a game. However, he traveled with the team on the trip to Milwaukee, which is his first time doing so this season.