Colorado Eagles facing playoff elimination after Game 3 loss to Bakersfield

The Colorado Eagles found themselves chasing a big deficit halfway through Tuesday's game and never came back.

Bakersfield took a three-goal lead in the second period and raced to a 5-2 win in Game 3 of the AHL first-round series.

The Eagles are now facing elimination in the best-of-five matchup, with the next two games also to be played in Bakersfield. The Condors won Games 1 and 3 while the Eagles won Game 2.

The Condors struck first, scoring in the middle of the first period. Bakersfield made it 2-0, then 3-0 within a less than two-minute span early in the second. 

A Colorado goal from Anton Lindholm briefly gave the Eagles life before two more Bakersfield goals. A Sheldon Dries marker for Colorado with 14 seconds left in the period finished a wild six-goal period.

The Eagles couldn't get closer as Bakersfield shut the door in the third period.

Bakersfield pounded Colorado's goal with 41 shots on net, while the Eagles only forced Bakersfield goaltender Shane Starrett to face 18 shots.

Colorado has a relatively long wait to prepare for a must-win Game 4, which won't be played until 8 p.m. Saturday.

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