Eagles Advance to Conference Finals For Sixth Time in Seven Years
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The Colorado Eagles defeated the Missouri Mavericks, 2-1, in Game 4 of the Turner Conference Semifinals, winning the series three-games-to-one. Kyle Jones got the start in net for the Eagles, making his first appearance since Game 2 of the previous round, and stopped 34 of 35 shots to backstop the win. This marks the sixth time in eight seasons of existence — and in a seven-year span — that Colorado will play in the Conference Finals round of the Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup playoffs.
Colorado scored on two of their first four shots on the way to taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. At 4:45, Scott May sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Kyle Peto who was crashing the slot, and the defenseman beat Robby Nolan for his first goal of the playoffs. Then at 7:36, May won a faceoff in the right circle of the offensive zone and Adam Chorneyko quickly snapped it past Nolan from the high slot to make it 2-0.
It took the Mavericks nearly two periods to find the back of the net, when they took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play to cut Colorado’s lead in half. At 19:21, Nick Sirota puck home a Ray DiLauro rebound from the crease to make it 2-1 after two periods, in favor of the Eagles.
Missouri, playing for their playoff lives, out-shot Colorado 10-5 in the final frame, but couldn’t get another puck past Jones. Colorado was able to stave off their effort — including a power play early in the period and an extra attacker late — to win the game, and thus the series.
The Eagles will face the winner of the Rapid City/Fort Wayne series, currently led by the defending champion Rush, two-games-to-one. Dates and ticket information for the Turner Conference Finals will be announced at a later time. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.ColoradoEagles.com.