Admirals top Aeros 4-2

Published on February 20, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Houston, TX – Greg Classen scored twice and Brian Finley finished with 35 saves, as the Milwaukee Admirals beat the Houston Aeros 4-2 at Toyota Center. Timofei Shishkanov also scored and Tony Hrkac had an empty-netter for the Admirals, who have won eight of nine and picked up the 1,000th win in franchise history. Milwaukee, which has won seven of the eight meetings this season with Houston, improved to 11-2-2-1 in its last 16. Finley's performance moved him to an unbeaten 7-0-1 in his last eight starts. Erik Reitz and Mika Hannula each scored and Johan Holmqvist posted 23 saves for Houston, which fell to 1-6-1-0 in its last eight. The Aeros begin a four-game road trip tomorrow in Chicago at 7 p.m. Fourth-place Houston failed to put some distance between itself and Cincinnati (one point back) and San Antonio (three back). Both the Ducks and Rampage lost tonight.

The Aeros came out flying and had the game's first five shots, but the Admirals scored on their second shot, 4:30 in. Stan Neckar threw the puck on net from the left point, and Classen – planted with two feet in the crease – tipped the puck up and over Holmqvist for his ninth of the season.

Houston's Darby Hendrickson had a chance less than 30 seconds later from point-blank range, but Finley gloved the attempt from the left doorstop.

Milwaukee went up 2-0 at the 10:49 mark with Jason Beckett in the box for high sticking for just 22 seconds. Darren Haydar broke in 2-on-1 with Shishkanov and tried to slide a pass to his teammate. The puck hit an Aeros player's skate and bounced right to Shishkanov, who popped it by a surprised Holmqvist for his 20th of the season.

The Admirals had an apparent third goal wiped off, when referee Dean Morton ruled Haydar interfered with Holmqvist while Simon Gamache put the puck in the net with 6:18 left in the first. The goal would have been Gamache's 12th in 18 career games against Houston.

Towards the end of that power play, Milwaukee's Libor Pivko clanked one off the post shorthanded, and seconds later the Aeros were whistled for too many men on the ice.

Houston ended the first period with a 16-7 advantage in shots, but Finley – a former first round pick – stood tall. Milwaukee has now outscored Houston 10-3 in the first period of their meetings this season.

The Aeros' Chris Bala deflected a Zbynek Michalek point shot just wide 4:45 into the second, for Houston's best chance of the first half of the second..

Houston went on a 5-on-3 for two full minutes with 6:12 left in the second when Mike Farrell was called for holding, and Ray Schultz picked up an unsportsmanlike minor for arguing. Off the faceoff, it took an unbelievable defensive play by Neckar to keep the Aeros off the board. Travis Roche ripped one from the left circle that changed direction off Kyle Wanvig in front, and the puck was about to cross the goal line as Neckar swiped it away.

The Aeros got several other perimeter chances on the man advantage, but couldn't push one past Finley.

Houston, though, got within 2-1 less than a minute after the two-man advantage. Stephane Veilleux and Christoph Brandner did some great work around the boards, and Brandner slipped a pass from behind the net between the circles. Reitz skated in and whipped a one-timer top shelf over Finley on the Aeros' 28th shot for his fourth of the season.

Finley kept the game tied with 1:25 left in the second when he barely got a piece of a Hannula attempt from the deep slot, and seconds later Marc Cavosie rifled one over the net from close range.

Holmqvist helped keep the Aeros within one on two occasions early in the third, robbing both Mathieu Darche and Hrkac from the low slot.

The Admirals then appeared to put the dagger in with a transition goal with 11:30 left. Farrell, on the right wing, slid a great pass to Classen, who put the puck short side past Holmqvist for his second of the game and 10th of the season.

Houston, though, fought back, getting a goal from Hannula with 5:06 left. Brandner, in the left circle, slid a pass through defenders to Hannula, who tipped the puck past Finley for his eighth of the season to get the Aeros within 2-1.

The Aeros pulled Holmqvist at a timeout with 1:39 left, and had several good chances in the waning seconds. Houston actually got a 6-on-4 for the final 1:09 when Schultz went for cross checking Wanvig in a battle behind Finley.

Off the ensuing faceoff, Houston had its best chance of the final minutes. Wanvig won the puck back to Kevin Mitchell, then headed for the net in a set play. Mitchell's rising one-timer was tipped by Wanvig inches wide of the far post.

Houston continued its push, but Hrkac cleared the zone with nine ticks left and slipped it into the empty cage.

Houston finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while Milwaukee went 1-for-3. The Admirals are 10-for-33 on the power play over their last seven games.

Notes:

The Aeros are 0-3-0-1 in the last four home meetings with Milwaukee and haven't beaten the Admirals in Houston in the regular season since March 15, 2003.

Finley is 6-1-0 in his last seven decisions against Houston.

Houston head coach Todd McLellan remained at 148 pro wins.

The Aeros dropped just their fourth game in regulation in the last 19 home games (10-4-4-1).

Reitz scored his first goal since January 16. He had been held without a point in eight straight games, one off his season high.

Milwaukee has outscored its opponents by a league-best 19 goals in the third period (69-50).

Tomorrow's game in Chicago wraps up an exhausting stretch of nine straight games against the Wolves, Admirals and Grand Rapids Griffins, the top three teams in the West.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2004


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