LOVELAND — At least it wasn't a shutout.

Dominic Noel made sure of that in the first period Friday night at the Budweiser Event Center.

The Rocky Mountain Rage's center scored on his team's second power play of the night, ensuring the team would escape a third consecutive shutout. But it didn't provide enough of a spark for the Broomfield-based Rage to get past the Colorado Eagles and collect its second road win.

The Rage's losing streak reached four games, with their rivals sliding past them 3-2.

"We just haven't been opportunistic so far," Noel said.

And this was the perfect time for the Rage to come out hungry — the Eagles were playing sans Greg Pankewicz. Colorado's leading scorer was injured Nov. 22 against the Rage, and will miss the majority of the season due to surgery. With 29 points (18 goals, 11 assists) the center was a big part of the Eagles' game.

Ed McGrane, however, proved his team still has firepower.

First he backed up Ryan Tobler's score at the end of the first, opening the second period with the go-ahead goal he scored off a rebound at the 4:27 mark. He then netted the insurance shot 6 minutes later, but was helped by the Rage on the play. McGrane was tripped into the net on a breakaway drive and was awarded a penalty shot. With one move to the left and a shot to the right, the center had his team killing time the rest of the game.

"Tonight, it was the second period that killed us," Rage coach Tracy Egeland said.

But Egeland wasn't just critical about the penalties. Also grating on the coach was his team playing into the Eagles' hands when on the attack. Outside of wing Mark Wires drawing the score within a goal at 18:14 in the second, the Rage couldn't figure out how to coordinate an effective attack.

"We were trying to force impossible plays on their end, to the slot," Egeland said. "And they live off that."

The Rage also missed a golden opportunity to equalize the game in the third. While the team's power play got back on track with its opening goal, the Rage missed six other opportunities — including a 5-on-3 in the final period.

"It's the little things," Egeland said. "And it's doing those little things for 60 minute. We do that and I'm sure we could get a win or two."