LOVELAND, Colo — When facing off against the Milwaukee Admirals, the Colorado Eagles had little to work with. Their last series matchup was anything but desirable, falling 1–0 in overtime on Jan. 5 and 5–0 on Jan. 6.
Adding even more pressure, this was a big game for Milwaukee. The Admirals only needed to notch one more victory to clinch a playoff spot, so they were hungry for a win.
Much to their disappointment, the Eagles came to the game looking for a win. In their last 10 games, they were sporting a record of 6–3–0–1.
First period
While beginning the period looking a little scrambled, it didn’t take long for Colorado to get settled and go to work.
Fredrik Olofsson kicked the offense off at the six-minute mark, notching his first goal in an Eagles uniform.
With Colorado holding on to the lead, Milwaukee started a full-scale offensive attack on Trent Miner. The Admirals put 11 pucks on the net in eight minutes without the Eagles putting up a single one.
The tides turned after Admiral Zach L’Heureux took a penalty for high-sticking. Just under a minute into the man-advantage, Riley Tufte would net his 19th goal of the season and the second in two games.
TUFTE 🤝 POWER PLAY pic.twitter.com/kU5anxK3ZM
— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) March 20, 2024
Second period
The Eagles hit the ice in the middle frame, still looking strong. Milwaukee was an unrelenting force in Colorado’s zone but could not find a way past Miner, who looked relaxed in the crease for the entire game.
Sam Malinski cashed in on a one timer through traffic and gave the Eagles a 3–0 lead.
MALINSKI KEEPS IT GOING 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uTEQlGua1X
— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) March 20, 2024
For the first two frames, it was clear this game was a full team effort. There was not a single player in a blue sweater who fell short of expectations.
With such an offensive showing, the Admirals were bound to score at some point, and they found an opportunity on a breakaway, narrowing the margin to two.
shoutout to Tommer fr#MILhockey pic.twitter.com/VWSMZ9sdda
— x – Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) March 20, 2024
Third period
The Eagles spent the first part of the third period in the defensive zone, trying to keep Milwaukee at bay. The roster hadn’t even recorded a shot on the net before Corey Schueneman took a seat in the box for tripping.
Tanner Kero later joined him at the eight-minute mark, providing a dangerous 5-on-3 situation for 1:45.
Not only did Colorado execute a beautiful penalty kill, but they also made something out of nothing once again.
Upon Kero’s release from the box, the Eagles wasted no time and headed into the offensive zone. Kero fed Olofsson, and they restored the three-goal lead.
CAN WE GET A LITTLE COMMOTION FOR OLOFSSON? pic.twitter.com/9XfPWOggeW
— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) March 20, 2024
As true underdogs, the Eagles walked away with a 4–1 victory.
Takeaways
The Eagles came into this game as the underdog. The Admirals are first in the Central Division and second in the Western Conference, yet Colorado dominated and made something happen when there was very little given to them.
This mindset and willingness to work is invaluable in the postseason, especially when the team is being outshot by a significant margin. Throughout the game, the Eagles were outshot 13–9, 17–7, and 10–4.
Colorado and Milwaukee will face off for the last time tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.