Admirals earn point in shoot-out loss

LOVELAND, Colo. - The Colorado Eagles rallied from a 4-1 second period deficit, and Jayson Megna's shootout goal lifted the Eagles to a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday night.

The Admirals, playing with just 17 skaters and with two regular defensemen - Frederic Allard and Josh Healey - as forwards, held on to take a standings point, withstanding three straight Eagles goals and seven Colorado power plays.

In overtime, the Admirals had all three shots on goal.  Following two scoreless shootout rounds, Cole Schneider scored to give the Admirals the lead, but Jordan Gross tied it with his goal to continue the skills competition.  Megna fired in the winner in the bottom of the next round to give the Eagles the extra standings point.

Milwaukee led 3-1 after the first period, thanks to goals by Matt Donovan (1:10), Graham Knott (6:07) and Egor Afanasyev (18:02, power play).  Afanasyev's goal was his second power play goal in three games and his team-high fifth PPG of the season.

In the opening 67 seconds of the second period, Grant Mismash controlled a pass from Jeremy Davies in the low right circle and sent a pass across the crease to an awaiting Allard, who put his first goal of the season into the open half of the net past Eagles netminder Justus Annunen, extending the Admirals lead to 4-1.  

Colorado scored the next three goals, as Callahan Burke (9:52) and Kiefer Sherwood (13:20, power play) rounded out the second period scoring.  Dylan Sikura tied the game at 4-4 1:36 into the third period, scoring three seconds after an Eagles power play expired.

The Eagles were 2-for-7 on the power play, while the Admirals went 1-for-4.  Connor Ingram made 24 saves for the Admirals while Annunen turned away 25 shots.

The two-game weekend series continues on Saturday night at 8 p.m. CT.

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