Aeros, Grizz skate to 5-5 tie that leaves participants, fans breathless

Published on March 23, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Houston, TX – Houston's Travis Roche and Kyle Wanvig each posted a goal and an assist, and Utah's Jason Bacashihua made eight of his 36 saves in overtime in an amazing performance, as the Aeros and Grizzlies skated to a thrilling 5-5 tie at Toyota Center. Jason Beckett, Jeff Hoggan and Jordan Krestanovich each scored and Johan Holmqvist made 42 saves to finish two off his career high for Houston, which is unbeaten in its last two (1-0-1-0) and is in San Antonio Friday at 7 p.m. The fourth-place Aeros moved to 66 points, six more than idle Cincinnati, seven more than Utah and eight up on last-place San Antonio, which fell 5-1 at home tonight to league-leading Milwaukee. The Grizzlies (59 points) are out of seventh place for the first time since mid December.

Nick Naumenko and Zenon Konopka each had a goal and an assist for Utah, which has points in four of five (2-1-2-0). Mathias Tjarnqvist, Mike Siklenka and Justin Cox also scored for the Grizzlies.

Hoggan's goal 8:30 into the third period had given the Aeros a 5-4 lead, but the Grizzlies pressured and got Siklenka's second of the season from an improbable angle with 4:12 left to send the game to overtime. Siklenka, skating towards the left corner, threw the puck on net, and it hit off Holmqvist and then just crossed the line at the far post.

Bacashihua made a save that rivaled Holmqvist's dandy from earlier in the game, with 2:25 remaining in regulation. Wanvig found himself alone in front and swatted one destined for the back of the net, but Bacashihua – who stopped no less than four sure goals in the game – just got a piece of the puck with his blocker and then a defenseman knocked the puck out of danger.

A scramble in front of Bacashihua nearly gave Houston a victory in the waning seconds of regulation. Mika Hannula whacked the puck out of mid-air in a crush of bodies in front, and the netminder slid over to get a body on the puck with less than one second showing on the clock.

Houston had an 8-1 shot advantage in the five-minute extra session, but "Cash" singlehandedly kept his team in the game.

The Aeros' best two chances came in the final minute of overtime. Bacashihua somehow blocked Matt Foy's attempt with 51 seconds left, and then robbed Roche with 44.7 ticks showing. Roche collected the rebound of his own shot, which kicked high in the air, in the low slot and put a furious wrister from point blank range on Bacashihua. The netminder snagged the puck out of the air to preserve the tie.

The first 60 minutes were equally entertaining.

The Aeros took only 4:33 to open the scoring when Beckett finished off a great looking give and go with Dan Cavanaugh. Billy Tibbetts, in his first game with Houston, got the puck out of his own zone to Beckett along the left boards. Beckett left a pass for Cavanaugh at the blueline, then streaked to the net. Cavanaugh threaded a pass to Beckett, who slipped one under Bacashihua for his third goal of the season.

However, Houston would spend most of the rest of the period penalty killing. Utah scored twice in a span of 1:08 both on the power play, to take a 2-1 lead. Tibbetts was called for cross checking and Hoggan kneeing just 24 seconds apart, and the Grizzlies capitalized on both penalties.

Naumenko's rocket from the top of the right circle through a screen eluded Holmqvist for the first goal, 5-on-3, at the 13:28 mark. The tally was his fifth of the season and seventh of his career against the Aeros – all on the power play.

With Houston still penalty killing, Tjarnqvist's shot from the point that was headed well wide hit an Aeros player's skate in front and under Holmqvist for his 13th of the season at 14:36, giving the Grizzlies their first lead.

Utah, with the strength of three of its four power plays, outshot Houston 17-6 in the opening stanza.

The Aeros scored twice in the opening 5:16 of the second to reclaim the lead.

Houston evened the score just 1:09 into the stanza. Wanvig carried the puck into the zone at the right wing and fired a shot on Bacashihua, who kicked aside the attempt with his left pad. Hannula (two assists) corralled the puck and fed Roche between the circles, and the blueliner ripped a shot that banked off Bacashihua and trickled over the goal line. The tally was Roche's second in as many games and his eighth of the season.

Wanvig's team-best 23rd of 2003-04, on the power play, gave the Aeros a 3-2 edge at the 5:16 mark. Marc Cavosie, along the left boards, found Roche at the center point. Roche fired a shot that Wanvig deflected from the slot just over Bacashihua's blocker.

The Grizzlies wasted no time getting even, as Cox's 12th made it 3-3 just 39 seconds later. Konopka won a faceoff in the left circle back to Naumenko, whose one timer was stopped by Holmqvist. However, the rebound came between the circles to Cox, who banged it home.

The Aeros went back on top on Krestanovich's first as an Aero with 3:12 left in the second. Hannula, along the left boards, slid a no-look pass between the circles. Two Grizzlies had a shot at the puck, but Krestanovich got to it and slid one by Bacashihua for his fifth overall of the season.

Holmqvist made perhaps his best save of the year to keep it a 4-3 Aeros lead with 39.5 seconds left in the second. Timo Helbling, alone at the right doorstep, tried to go topshelf, but Holmqvist, on his side, snared the puck high out of the air with his glove bringing the crowd to its feet.

But Utah solved Holmqvist again 2:58 into the third, on Konopka's sixth of the season. The centerman put a soft shot from the left circle by Holmqvist near side to even the score at 4-4.

Utah's David Bararuk broke in alone on Holmqvist with 11:56 left in regulation, but the netminder shut the door.

That stop was huge, because Hoggan's 18th of the season – and fourth in four games – put Houston back on top only 26 seconds later at the 8:30 mark. Hoggan rebounded Christoph Brandner's miss between the circles and fired one high glove side over Bacashihua for his sixth in eight contests – all since Rickard Wallin was recalled to Minnesota.

The Aeros went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Utah, which entered the game 27th in the AHL on the power play at 10.4 percent, finished 2-for-4. The league record for power-play futility is 10.36.

Notes:

Utah outshot just its sixth opponent on the road. The Grizzlies also led after one period for only the seventh time on the road.

The team to score first failed to win for just the second time in 10 meetings this season.

Hoggan has six points (4+2=6) in his career-best four-game point streak. His 18 goals are 12 better than his rookie total in 2002-03.

Holmqvist's career-best (regular season) 44 save performance came in his third from last game with Hartford, on March 1, 2003, against Binghamton.

Bacashihua, who is 12-19-5, got more than two goals of support for the first time in his 24 non-wins.

Houston has scored five goals in five of its last 11 games.

The Aeros remain the AHL's lone winless in overtime team (0-4-12).

Utah is 5-for-21 on the power play over its last four games.

Naumenko, who played for Aeros head coach Todd McLellan in 2000-01 in Cleveland, has an assist in five straight games.

Houston had outshot the Grizzlies by nearly 11 shots per meeting this season, but ended this game on the short end of a 47-41 total. Utah had a 46-33 lead in shots heading into overtime.

Utah entered the game averaging 1.70 goals per game on the road.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2004


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