AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Aeros Take Game Three, 2-1

Published on May 16, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Houston - The Houston Aeros held the Grand Rapids Griffins to a franchise playoff record-low 12 shots and made a one-goal cushion stand up over the final 44 minutes of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday, taking a 2-1 win and an identical lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is set for 8:30 p.m. EDT Saturday at the Compaq Center.

For the second straight game, the Aeros drew first blood. At 6:01 of the opening period, Kyle Wanvig found a wide-open Jean-Guy Trudel in the slot, and the AHL all-star one-timed a shot through Marc Lamothe's five hole.

Houston continued applying pressure in the Grand Rapids zone, and following a series of dangerous yet unsuccessful scoring chances, the Griffins broke out the other way on a two-on-none. Derek King carried the puck down the right side, waited until Johan Holmqvist made his move, then dished a pass across the slot to Jason Williams, who pounded the puck into a half-empty cage at 10:59 for his first goal of the postseason.

The Aeros continued their assault on the Griffins' goal and it resulted in the ultimate game-winner at the 15:46 mark. Tony Tuzzolino took a shot from the right circle that grazed a Griffins defenseman on the way to the net. Lamothe adjusted to the shot, but was unable to control the rebound following the change in speed. Houston defenseman Curtis Murphy rushed in to tap the puck into the net, giving the home team the upper hand at the first break.

After being out-shot 11-4 in the first, the Griffins again had to weather the storm in the second period. While being limited to just one shot of their own (by Williams), a franchise playoff record for a road period, the Griffins once again allowed 11 shots, with Lamothe turning them all aside. Grand Rapids had to kill 27 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play midway through the period, then faced another two-man disadvantage for a span of 1:10, the last 57 seconds of which carried over to the third period.

The Griffins killed off that advantage, more than doubled their shot total and held Houston to only five shots in the third, but to no avail. For the first time in the postseason, Grand Rapids pulled Lamothe for an extra attacker in the final minute but could not get the equalizer.

Lamothe made 25 stops, while Holmqvist was forced to make just 11 saves. In addition to Lamothe's performance, the Griffins squandered another fine effort by their penalty killers, who kept the Aeros scoreless in six power play chances.

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American Hockey League Stories from May 16, 2003


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