<b><div align="center"> Prince George Firebirds 3 at Colorado Mammoths 4</div></b>
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<b><div align="center">BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF GAME</div>
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In what is gearing up to be an intense (one-sided) rivalry, Prince George face Colorado for the 2nd time out of 3 in the opening week. This game, like the previous 3 played so far(including preseason) was within 2 goals, but like the 3 previous, was eventually won by Colorado.

<b><div align="center">LONG SUMMARY OF GAME</div></b>
1st period
Within the first minute of the game, 2nd pair defenseman Barak Obrana takes an Interference penalty. This sets up a situation where the mammoths might be able to take an early lead on the firebirds, but Colorado Mammoths D William Goddard fails a pass, and unfortunately ices the puck. This leads to a faceoff in the Colorado Mammoths zone, won by Prince George star center and captain, Casper Jakobsson, who immediately passes the puck to rookie Eduard Selich. Selich is hit by the aforementioned Goddard and loses the puck, but retrieves it and snipes Colorado goalie Ekaterina Rudnikova top corner.
1:14 of 1st period - Goal by Eduard Selich - Colorado Mammoths : 0 - Prince George Firebirds : 1. – SH
This goal somehow remains the only recorded on net shot of the entire game for over 5 minutes. Towards the 5 minute mark, Colorado rookie Taro Eichelele dumps the puck for a line change. It is retrieved by Barak Obrana, but his outlet pass is intercepted by Sim Browski. On a 3v2 possession, and no way to stop the rush, Prince George Goalie Ace Dafoe concedes to star Colorado forward Steven Stamkos Jr.
5:41 of 1st period - Goal by Steven Stamkos Jr. - Colorado Mammoths : 1 - Prince George Firebirds : 1.
It seems, much like some Republican voters would say, that Barak Obrana is doing nothing right.
The rest of the period continues as Prince George and Colorado trade momentum and possession, and the period ends 1-1, with Prince George having a shot lead of 8 to Colorado’s 6.

2nd period
The period starts horribly for the Prince George Firebirds, as their top center loses a faceoff to a winger, and Colorado easily cruises into the Prince George zone. A sequence of passes leads to Stamkos Jr. taking a shot, missing, with the free puck retrieved by Maverick O’Dooley. He passes to Stamkos Jr., who loses handle of the puck while trying to deke Johnny Pollak. The puck is retrieved by top line winger Frontdoor Mcgraw, who puts it past Dafoe.
0:20 of 2nd period - Goal by Frontdoor McGraw - Colorado Mammoths : 2 - Prince George Firebirds : 1.
The rest of the period is uneventful until Obrana dumps the puck into the Mammoths zone for a line change. Rudnikova retrieves the puck and passes it to Goddard, who outlet passes it to defensive partner Matthew Leetch. Leetch skates into the Prince George zone and shoots it himself, Dafoe giving up a rebound, which is pounced on by Eichelele. Eichelele misses the net, but it bounces off the boards and amidst the confusion, Eichelele sneaks it into the net.
3:01 of 2nd period - Goal by Taro Eichelele - Colorado Mammoths : 3 - Prince George Firebirds : 1.
The next 10 or so minutes of the game were back and forth, and it seems like Prince George had possibly not yet lost confidence. William Norstrom makes a pass to Michael Young, who then gets his pass stormed by McGraw. Unfortunately, McGraw pounces on it too quickly, and is whistled off side. The ensuing faceoff is won by Jakobsson, who passes it to recent signing Sven Wolf. Wolf’s pass is intercepted by William Goddard in the Firebirds zone, and he passes it to Jacob Renninger, who one-times it past the demotivated and tired Ace Dafoe. Dafoe had let in 4 goals on 11 shots, and Backup Goalie Ben Waters was brought in to attempt to limit the damages.
13:11 of 2nd period - Goal by Jacob Renninger - Colorado Mammoths : 4 - Prince George Firebirds : 1.
13:11 of 2nd period - Ben Waters enters game.
The rest of the period was a bunch of nothing. Colorado dominated this period in spurts, and those spurts would go on to win them the game.
3rd period
This period starts off with a lot of hits thrown between both teams. Towards the beginning of the 2nd minute, Prince George center Joseph Riccardelli dumps the puck for a line change. This puck is retrieved by Rudnikova, and a familiar rush that has led to a goal multiple times for Colorado starts once more. This leads to a very confusing series of events, where Colorado forward Evgeny Yakikov misses a pass and it lands on the stick of Tyrone Savage, who instantly passes it back to Yakikov. Yakikov then again fails a pass, and it is intercepted by Norstrom in his zone. On the ensuing 3v1 onto Yakikov, Hylytyr NoRetornable passes it to Wolf, who dangles Rudnikova and scores.
2:27 of 3rd period - Goal by Sven Wolf - Colorado Mammoths : 4 - Prince George Firebirds : 2.
Once more, the next stretch in the game is a period of nothingness, as only 2 shots happen in the next 8 minutes. NoRetornable starts a line change, and Rudnikova skates out and passes the puck to Stamkos Jr. The former fails his pass and it is intercepted by Obrana, who sends it to Jakobsson. Jakobsson passes it to Kottbulle in the Colorado zone, and Kottbulle scores on a slapper. Prince George is back in this.
10:11 of 3rd period - Goal by Tapper Kottbulle - Colorado Mammoths : 4 - Prince George Firebirds : 3.
The final 10 minutes of this game was a Waters show, as he stopped 6 more shots, not giving up a rebound on any single one of them. He did his absolute best to keep his team in the game, and was rewarded with a 1.000 SV% to show for it, but unfortunately, not a victory.

<div align="center">TSN TURNING POINT</div>
The early 2nd period onslaught by the Colorado Mammoths completely changed an even game into an abomination. While the score was close, the game was completely changed by the 2 goals in 3 minutes conceded at the beginning of the middle third. If the Firebirds had managed to tie the game, the TSN Turning point could easily have been Waters entering the game, as he was lights out and did his best to keep his team in a boring game.
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3 STARS OF THE GAME</div>
3- Ben Waters(PGF)
Yes, I’m putting myself in. Fight me. In all seriousness, Ben Waters’ 8 saves were as impactful as they come, each one more important than the last. Had he let one in, this game would have been a mismatch, and he was vital to PG even having a chance in this one.
2- Steven Stamkos Jr.(COL)
Steven Stamkos Jr. was all over the ice this game, grabbing 2 points and being a defensive rock as well. His FO% wasn’t top quality, but his impact on the ice makes up for that completely.
1 – Frontdoor McGraw(COL)
While the uneducated might say: “STAMKOS HAD 2 POINTS WHY ISN’T HE 1ST STAR”, they didn’t understand how much of an impact McGraw’s goal had on the game. It was huge. You could even say it won the game. It threw Colorado into a state of complete momentum and control over the game. Had there been no goal 20 seconds into the 2nd period, we might have seen a completely different result.

K c gimme +65 TPE and we'll call it even stevens