DES MOINES, IA – Spencer Smallman and Callahan Burke each scored two goals as the Colorado Eagles blew out the Iowa Wild, 6-2. Three third period goals clinched the victory. Six players had at least two points for Colorado, led by Burke who had three. Nic Petan and Carson Lambos scored for the Wild.

The Eagles scored the only goal of the first period, as Brad Hunt scored his ninth goal of the season. Colorado was on the power-play when Burke passed the puck back to Hunt at the point. He blew a one-timer by Hunter Jones to make it 1-0.

The wild first period saw the Eagles out shot the Wild, 18-12, but they were unable to extend the lead because of the solid play of Jones. That enabled Iowa to tie the score when Lambos scored his second goal of the season at the 8:02 mark of the second. Petan battled for the puck in the corner, coming away with him. He then found Lambos moving down the slot, feeding him the puck. Lambos then blasted a one-timer by Justus Annunen to knot the game at one.

The game remained tied for less than two minutes before the Eagles retook the lead. At 9:43, Oskar Olausson took a shot that Jones saved, but Smallman crashed the net, putting in the rebound for his second goal of the year.

A little over a minute later, Ivan Ivan extended the lead to two. Alex Beaucage passed the puck ahead, springing Ivan on a partial breakaway. He beat Jones past the glove to make it 3-1.

The Wild were down, but cut the deficit to one when Petan scored on the power-play at 12:19. Sammy Walker fed the puck to Petan at the right face-off circle. He fired a laser that beat the Eagles netminder to make it 3-2. It was the 10th goal of the season for Petan.

The Wild had been woefully outshot through the first two periods, 37-21, but were in the contest. However, that quickly changed in the third when the Eagles scored two goals within the first six minutes of the frame. Smallman netted his second goal of the night at 1:19 to restore the two-goal advantage. Jones saved the shot by Jack Ahcan, but no one cleared out Smallman, enabling him to put in the rebound to make it 4-2.

Just before the six minute mark, the lead became three. The Eagles were on the power-play when Tanner Kero sent a shot on net. Burke redirected it to the corner for his fifth goal of the evening. At 12:02, Burke scored again to finish out the scoring.

Despite taking the loss, Jones set a single game high, saving 48 shots. Petan had two points.

The Iowa Wild are off until January 5 when they will welcome the Grand Rapids Griffins. The puck drops at 7:00.

Gamesheet

By Robert Pannier