Kaut’s Two-Goal Night Leads Colorado to 5-4 Win over Stars
Apr 6, 2021
LOVELAND, CO. – Colorado Eagles forward Martin Kaut extended his point streak to six games, as he scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in Colorado’s 5-4 win over the Texas Stars on Tuesday. Fellow forwards Shane Bowers, Ryan Wagner, and Sheldon Dries also lit the lamp in the victory. Eagles goaltender Hunter Miska made 32 saves on 36 shots to improve his record to 3-1-0 on the season.
After failing to connect on an extended 5-on-3 power play, Colorado finally netted the game’s first goal when Wagner barreled his way down the left-wing boards before snapping a shot from the circle that would beat Texas goalie Adam Scheel. The goal was Wagner’s third tally of the season and gave the Eagles a 1-0 edge at the 6:36 mark of the first period. Colorado would go on to outshoot the Stars 18-9 in the opening 20 minutes and would take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Texas would strike back early in the second period when forward Nikita Sherbak camped out at the side of the crease and deflected a shot from the blue line into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 at the 2:55 mark of the middle frame.
A power play would allow the Eagles to jump back on top when Dries put his blade in front of a pass from T.J. Tynan to send the puck over the shoulder of Scheel and into the net. The goal gave Colorado a 2-1 advantage with 11:18 remaining in the period and extended Tynan’s league-leading assist streak to five games.
A see-saw affair would see Texas generate an answer when rookie forward Jordan Kawaguchi collected a pass in the high slot and snapped a shot past Miska. The tally tied the game at 2-2 at the 10:53 mark of the second stanza and was Kawaguchi’s first as a professional.
The back-and-forth play would continue, as 2-on-1 rush in transition would set up Kiefer Sherwood to center a pass to Kaut who would tap the puck into the back of the net to give Colorado a 3-2 lead with 7:52 left to play in the period.
The Eagles would continue to hold the momentum, as Bowers skated the puck to the left-wing corner before firing a shot from just above the end line that would rise over the right shoulder of Scheel to light the lamp and extend Colorado’s advantage to 4-2 at the 17:41 mark of the second period.
Still owning a two-goal lead as the two teams returned to the ice for the final 20 minutes of play, the Eagles would see the tide turn when defenseman Thomas Harley capitalized on a scramble in front of the net to trim Colorado’s advantage to 4-3 with 6:21 still left to play in the contest.
Minutes later, the Stars would earn a late power play and they would take advantage when forward Adam Mascherin fielded a rebound in the right-wing circle and snapped the puck past Miska to tie the game at 4-4 at the 15:26 mark of the third period.
As time ticked down in the contest, the Eagles would earn their fifth power play of the game and they would make it count, as Kaut took a pass in the slot and fired a shot past Scheel and into the back of the net to put Colorado back on top, 5-4 with 1:23 remaining in regulation.
Texas would then pull Scheel in favor of the extra attacker, but Miska and company would not allow an equalizer and the Eagles would claim the 5-4 victory.
Colorado outshot the Stars, 37-36 and finished the night going 2-for-5 on the power play. Texas converted on one of its three opportunities on the man-advantage.
Colorado will return to action when the Eagles take on the Texas Stars at on Wednesday, April 7that 7:05pm MT at the Budweiser Events Center. Fans can catch every game this season live on “The Home of the Colorado Eagles,” 92.9 The Bear or on AHLTV.
