(WINDSOR, CO) – Matt Garbowsky erased a 2-1 Rapid City Rush lead in the second period, setting the table for Collin Bowman’s overtime winner that secured the Colorado Eagles a 3-2 win in exhibition play on Friday night.
Both teams traded power play goals in the early stages of the game, and it was Colorado opened up the scoring entries within the first three minutes. With 2:16 gone by in the game, Jake Marchment took a Vladislav Lukin pass just off of the near side of the Rush zone, and slipped the puck past Rush net-minder Storm Phaneuf to give the home side an early 1-0 lead (Lukin and Brady Shaw assisted). Over ten minutes later, the Rush countered with a power play goal of their own to tie the game up. After a bout of four-on-four, Ian Brady led a Rush attack and fired a shot on net from the far side of the Eagles third. Colorado net-minder Lukas Hafner made the save, but Rush forward Evan Janssen was right on the back door and potted the tying goal, squaring the game up at 1-1 with 6:28 left in the first (Ian Brady garnered the lone assist). Just over two and a half minutes later, Kenton Miller won an offensive zone draw back to the blue-line, and defenseman John Rey fired the puck towards Hafner’s net. The puck banked off the post and in, giving the Rush a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission (Kenton Miller earned the lone helper).
The Eagles squared the game up with what proved to be the only goal in the second period between the sides. With 7:51 left in the second period, the Eagles found a loose puck in neutral ice, and transitioned into attack mode. Drayson Bowman carried the puck to the near faceoff circle in the Rush zone and dropped it back to Matt Garbowsky. Garbowsky showcased his lethality, sniping a wrister over Phaneuf’s shoulder to even the game up at 2-2 heading into the third (Bowman and Gage Ausmus assisted). Both teams failed to score in the third period, prompting an overtime period to determine the winner.
Storm Phaneuf shined in the overtime period, stopping a barrage in front of his own net, but Collin Bowman came off of his blue line and potted a rebound 1:11 into the frame, sealing the win for the Eagles, 3-2.
Storm Phaneuf played all 61:11 of the game, stopping 34 of 37 shots in the effort (0-0-1 Preseason).
The Rush clash one more time in exhibition play with the Eagles tomorrow night in Rapid City. Puck drop at Premier Home Mortgage Ice in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is slated for 7:05 p.m. MST.
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