Colorado Doubles Up Grand Rapids in Home Opener, 6-3
Oct 20, 2023
LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado forward Peter Holland notched two goals and an assist, while fellow forward Riley Tufte netted a pair of goals, as the Eagles defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 6-3 on Friday. Goaltender Justus Annunen earned the victory in net, making 21 saves on 24 shots, as Aaron Schneekloth earned his first win as an AHL head coach.
Colorado would open the scoring at the 9:31 mark of the first period when Henry Bowlby forced a turnover on the right-wing boards, before snapping a pass onto the tape of Holland in the slot. Holland would then blast home a wrister to give the Eagles a 1-0 edge and also extend his goal-scoring streak to three games.
The momentum would build just 1:45 later when Tufte stuffed a rebound past Griffins goalie Michael Hutchinson, stretching Colorado’s advantage to 2-0. The Eagles would go on to outshot Grand Rapids 21-8 in the opening 20 minutes of play and carried their 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Griffins would push back when defenseman William Wallinder beat Annunen with a wrister from the left-wing circle, slicing the deficit to 2-1 at the 6:10 mark of the second period.
Colorado would summon an answer just 6:37 later when defenseman Sam Malinski stepped into a slapshot from the top of the right-wing circle that would light the lamp and put the Eagles up, 3-1.
A power play would allow Colorado to increase its advantage, as Holland flipped home a rebound from the side of the crease, giving the Eagles a 4-1 lead with 4:22 remaining in the middle frame.
As time ticked down, Grand Rapids would again pull within a pair, as forward Marco Kasper found the back of the net with a shot from the left-wing circle at the 18:09 mark of the second stanza, trimming Colorado’s advantage to 4-2.
Still trailing 4-2 as the puck dropped on the third period, the Griffins would strike on a delayed penalty when forward Taro Hirose fired a puck from behind the end line, off the back of Annunen and into the net, trimming the deficit to 4-3 at the 11:01 mark of the final frame.
The Eagles would reclaim their insurance when Holland found forward Spencer Smallman with a pass in the low slot, which Smallman would redirect past Hutchinson to put Colorado up 5-3 with 1:39 remaining in the contest.
Grand Rapids would then pull Hutchinson in favor of the extra attacker, but it would be Tufte who would capitalize with an empty-netter from his own blue line at the 19:50 mark, securing the Eagles 6-3 victory.
Colorado outshot the Griffins 41-24, as the Eagles finished the night going 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday, October 21st at 7:05pm MT at Blue Arena. Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now and can be secured with a deposit of just $100 per seat. Click here to place your deposit.
