The Calgary Wranglers faced off against the Colorado Eagles on Friday in an afternoon clash that had fans on the edge of their seats. From the get-go, the Eagles took control, netting five of their six goals on the power play. Despite a spirited comeback attempt from Calgary, they couldn't close the gap against a team that’s been a powerhouse in the Pacific Division this season, ultimately falling 6-3.
Lineup Insights
The Wranglers welcomed back Martin Frk, allowing them to revert to a traditional setup with 12 forwards and six defensemen. Carter Wilkie also made his return, while Chase Pauls and Lucas Ciona were sidelined for this matchup.
Wranglers Line Combinations
- Dryden Hunt - Justin Kirkland - Martin Frk
- William Stromgren - Sam Morton - Aydar Suniev
- Brennan Othmann - Clark Bishop - David Silye
- Parker Bell - Carter King - Carter Wilkie
Defensive Pairings
- Nick Cicek - Daniil Miromanov
- Turner Ottenbreit - Gavin White
- Etienne Morin - Simon Mack
Between the Pipes
Ivan Prosvetov got the nod for Calgary, marking his first start since their clash with the Silver Knights earlier this month. On the opposite end, Trent Miner guarded the net for the Eagles.
Game Breakdown
The Eagles wasted no time establishing their presence, dominating the early minutes. A penalty to Justin Kirkland at 3:22 tested Calgary’s penalty kill, but they held firm without allowing a shot.
Colorado struck first when Maros Jedlicka found the net at the nine-minute mark. The intensity ramped up as Nick Cicek and Jedlicka exchanged blows, resulting in penalties for both.
Calgary found themselves shorthanded again with Daniil Miromanov’s penalty, and Tye Felhaber capitalized for the Eagles at 14:43. Just over a minute later, Clark Bishop got Calgary on the board with a deflection, assisted by Gavin White and Brennan Othmann.
However, the Eagles responded swiftly, with Alex Barre-Boulet scoring on a power play, leaving Calgary trailing 3-1 after the first period, and being outshot 19-4.
The Wranglers struggled to capitalize on a power play early in the second. The Eagles extended their lead with Danil Gushchin’s power-play goal. Calgary answered back with a Sam Morton goal, thanks to a setup by William Stromgren and Aydar Suniev.
A four-on-four situation saw Turner Ottenbreit bring the Wranglers within one, assisted by Suniev and White. Yet, penalties continued to plague Calgary, and Jack Ahcan’s goal on a five-on-three power play restored Colorado’s lead.
The Wranglers had opportunities on the power play but couldn’t convert, ending the second period down 5-3, though they narrowed the shot gap to 10-9 for Colorado.
In the third, a potential goal by Clark Bishop was waved off after review, as the puck didn’t fully cross the line. The Eagles capitalized on another power play with Tristen Nielsen scoring their sixth goal.
Despite a late power play, Calgary couldn’t muster a comeback, falling 6-3. The Eagles’ power play was lethal, going five for nine, and outshooting Calgary 46-25.
Post-Game Thoughts
Assistant coach David Liffiton addressed the media, acknowledging the need for improvement in special teams:
“You know I don’t think it’s one thing. I think obviously when it’s going the way it has, it’s a combination of things. So both areas have to be better, my area definitely has to be better and we’ll keep moving forward here.”
Scoring Summary
- Turner Ottenbreit: 1G
- Gavin White: 2A
- William Stromgren: 1A
- Clark Bishop: 1G
- Brennan Othmann: 1A
- Aydar Suniev: 2A
- Sam Morton: 1G
Looking Ahead
The Wranglers will have a day to regroup before facing the Eagles again on Sunday, with puck drop scheduled for 1:00 p.m. MT. Fans will be eager to see if Calgary can bounce back and even the score in this back-to-back series.