Game 7 Set After Komets Defeat Eagles 3-2

LOVELAND, Colo.--It's going to take seven games to decide a Western Conference champion in the ECHL.
The Colorado Eagles fell 3-2 on Tuesday night at the Budweiser Events Center in Game 6 of the conference finals as the Fort Wayne Komets evened the series at 3-3. The teams will play the decisive seventh game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Loveland.

"We have a game tomorrow in 24 hours. Like coach said after the game, we just have to forget this game," said Colorado Avalanche prospect and Eagles forward Julien Nantel. "We didn't play a bad game. We had a really good first period, our second and third wasn't very good. Tomorrow, we have to play a good 60 minutes and I think we'll be fine."
Garrett Thompson scored the game-winner for the Komets nearly five minutes into the third period to give Fort Wayne its first lead of the evening. Thompson buried a rebound after a point shot from Jason Brinkley caromed off Colorado goaltender Joe Cannata's pad and directly to the Komets left wing at the top of the crease.
The Eagles had chances to tie the contest in the final 15 minutes, including getting several good looks in the last 1:55 when Cannata was on the bench for the extra attacker, but they were unable to beat Komets goalie Michael Houser for a third time. Cannata, an Avs prospect, finished with 28 saves as Fort Wayne ended with a 31-22 edge in shots.

Nantel contributed on both of the Eagles' tallies, recording a goal and an assist, while defenseman Nicolas Meloche had a helper and four penalty minutes.
The two Quebec natives connected with 99 seconds remaining in the second period to give Colorado a 2-1 lead after Meloche served a hooking penalty. Meloche had a wraparound chance that was first denied by Houser, but the puck wasn't cleared and Nantel banged in the rebound in front for his third tally of the postseason.
"I just wanted to get it to the net," Meloche said of starting the scoring sequence. "I knew Julien was there, and we had a good bounce and he put it in. It was a good play."
The Colorado lead lasted for only 33 seconds as Bobby Shea scored on a wrist shot from the high slot to even the score at two for Fort Wayne.
Nantel helped set up the game's opening goal with a strong forecheck. The power forward forced the puck over to teammate Ryan Olsen behind the Komets' net, and Olsen soon found Cliff Watson with space on the low, left-wing side. Watson then sent a tough-angle wrister that snuck by Houser to give the Eagles the advantage with 58.7 seconds remaining in the first period.
"I'm here to bring a lot of speed and play gritty in the corner and win my battle. Every battle I'm in, I have to win it," Nantel said. "I think tonight I was good at that, so I just have to keep doing that tomorrow."

Jamie Schaafsma tied the game at 1-1 for the Komets at 14:13 of the second frame on a slick shot that beat Cannata over his left shoulder.
Prospect J.C. Beaudin finished with three shots on goal while playing on Colorado's top line. Forward Travis Barron was a healthy scratch.
The Eagles will now get ready to play their first Game 7 since April 28, 2015 when they lost 4-2 at the Ontario Reign in the first round of the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
"It's playoffs, and we got to bring our best game," Meloche said. "It's do or die, and we're lucky to have the home advantage and a great crowd."
Wednesday's winner will face the Florida Everblades in the ECHL championship series. Florida defeated the Adirondack Thunder in five games last weekend to advance to its first Kelly Cup Final since winning the title in 2012.