LOVELAND, CO --- Jason Sessa scored a power play goal 2:54 into overtime to the send the Memphis RiverKings to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Eagles in game one of the Northern Conference Finals Friday night in Loveland. CO. Larry Sterling continued his sharp play with a 37 save performance to give the RiverKings a 1-0 series lead heading into game two Sunday night at 8:05 CDT.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead with a late first period goal. Fraser Filipic tipped in Aaron Schneekloth’s shot from the point at 17:53. Both teams had good scoring chances in the first period with the Eagles finishing the period with a 16-9 shots advantage.
The teams exchanged goals in the second period. Travis Banga tied the game with his fourth of the playoffs on the power play after tipping in a Derek Landmesser wrist shot at 4:41. Ryan Tobler gave the lead back to the Eagles at 16:55. The RiverKings controlled the majority of the second period, finishing with an 11-9 shots advantage.
The RiverKings tied it in the third with Ryan Campbell capitalizing on a steal and scoring his team leading seventh postseason goal unassisted at 1:41. Both teams had good chances to take the lead in overtime, but Sterling and Eagles netminder Marco Emond played outstanding the final period of regulation.
The Eagles finished with a 39-37 shots advantage. The RiverKings went 2-5 on the power play while Colorado went 0-5.
The win was the RiverKings’ fourth straight on the road and it also marked the ninth straight series that the franchise has won game one of a series.
SERIES SCHEDULE/RESULTS
(times are CDT) Radio
GM 1 Fri, April 27 MEM 3 COL 2 OT (MEM leads series 1-0)
GM 2 @ COL, Sun, April 29 (8:05 PM) 560 AM
GM 3 @ MEM, Wed, May 2 (7:05 PM) 96.1 FM
GM 4 @ MEM, Fri, May 4 (7:05 PM) 96.1 FM
GM 5 @ MEM, Sat, May 5 (7:05 PM)** 560 AM
GM 6 @ COL, Tue, May 8 (8:05 PM)** 96.1 FM
GM 7 @ COL, Thu, May 10 (8:05 PM)** 96.1 FM
**if necessary | 
