The defending Kelly-Cup champion Colorado Eagles are picking up where they left off last season, going 6-1-3 in their last 10 games to improve their overall record to 13-4-3 for 29 points. Colorado trails Wichita for first place in the Mountain Division by just three points.
Last week, the Eagles picked up a pair of wins over division rival Utah, beginning with a 7-3 win on Friday. Collin Bowman paced Colorado’s offensive attack with three points (1g-2a) while Michael Joly (2g), Jake Marto (1g-1a), Joey Ratelle (1g-1a), Matt Garbowsky (2a) and Matt Register (2a) each had two-point nights. Sam Brittain stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced to pick up the win in goal.
Colorado ended the weekend set with a 2-1 overtime win on Saturday. Jesse Mychan notched the Eagles’ lone goal in regulation and Ryan Harrison tallied the game-winning goal 3:10 into the extra session. Brittain made 28 saves to earn his second straight win.
Register, the reigning ECHL Defenseman of the Year and Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player, leads the Eagles – and all ECHL defensemen – with 22 points (7g-15a) through 20 games while fellow blue liner Marto is tied for fourth among defensemen with 17 points (3g-14a), 12 of which have come on the power play. Joly is tied for the league lead with 15 goals and has a league-best 39.5 percent shooting percentage (15-for-38).
Joe Cannata, who was reassigned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League last week, continues to lead ECHL goaltenders with a 2.10 goals-against average and is sixth with a .928 save percentage.
The Eagles visit Rapid City on Wednesday before returning home to host the Rush on Friday and Saturday.