Eagles Ride Early Lead to 5-2 Win over Bakersfield
Apr 1, 2026
BAKERSFIELD, CA. – Colorado forward Ivan Ivan notched two goals and an assist, while fellow forwards Danil Gushchin and Valtteri Puustinen also posted multi-point performances, as the Eagles defeated the Bakersfield Condors 5-2 on Wednesday. Goaltender Trent Miner earned the win in net, making 23 saves on 25 shots.
Colorado would quickly get onto the scoreboard, as Ivan collected a rebound in the low slot and stuffed a backhander into the back of the net, putting the Eagles on top 1-0 just 2:07 into the contest.
A breakaway for Puustinen would produce a rebound that would land on the tape of Gushchin, setting up Gushchin to light the lamp with a wrister, stretching Colorado’s advantage to 2-0 at the 15:47 mark of the first period. The Eagles would go on to outshoot Bakersfield 14-7 in the opening frame and left for the first intermission still up, 2-0.
The Condors would strike early in the second period, as forward James Hamblin camped at the top of the crease before deflecting a centering feed past goalie Trent Miner, trimming the deficit to 2-1 just 1:12 into the middle frame.
The momentum would swing back when Ivan snagged a rebound at the bottom of the right-wing circle and blasted it home, pushing Colorado’s lead to 3-1 at the 12:34 mark of the second stanza.
Just 1:06 later, forward Maros Jedlicka would fire a wrister on the rush before collecting his own rebound and beating goalie Matt Tomkins, extending the Eagles lead to 4-1.
A power play for Bakersfield would see the Condors pull Tomkins in favor of the extra attacker. The move would result in Colorado defenseman Gustav Stjernberg burying an empty-netter for his first professional goal, putting Colorado up 5-1 at the 6:49 mark of the third period.
On that same power play, and with Tomkins back on the bench, forward Isaac Howard would wire home a one-timer from the right-wing circle, cutting the Eagles lead to 5-2 with 12:35 left to play in the contest.
Tomkins suffered the loss in net, allowing four goals on 28 shots, as the Colorado finished 0-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The Eagles will be back in action when they travel to take on the San Jose Barracuda on Friday, April 3rd at 8:00pm MT at Tech CU Arena in San Jose, California. Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to ColoradoEagles.com or call or text (970) 686-SHOT (7468).
