Aeros win 3-1, will host Qualifying Round against Cincinnati starting Thursday
April 10, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
Houston, TX â Kyle Wanvig's goal snapped a tie with 3:43 left in regulation after Kevin Mitchell scored a highlight-reel power play tally to knot the game with 3:45 remaining in the second period, as the Aeros clinched home ice in a West Division Qualifying Round series with a 3-1 win over Grand Rapids in front of a rocking season-finale crowd of 9,814 at Toyota Center. Cincinnati lost 8-3 at home to Cleveland tonight, meaning Houston, which got an outstanding performance in net from Frederic Cloutier (24 saves) and an empty netter from Dan Cavanaugh, finishes in fourth place with 74 points, two more than the Ducks. The Aeros play host to Cincinnati in the three-game West Division Qualifying Round series. Game 1 is Thursday at Toyota Center at 7 p.m., and Game 2 is Saturday at 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is Sunday, April 18 at 5 p.m. at Toyota Center.
Houston went 2-3-3-0 this season against the Ducks, including a 1-1-2-0 mark at Toyota Center. Before tonight, the Aeros played their prior three games versus Cincinnati.
Joey MacDonald made 31 saves and Danny Groulx scored for Grand Rapids, which will play Chicago in a best-of-seven West Division Semifinal Series. The Griffins and Wolves each have 96 points, but Grand Rapids will have home ice regardless of its outcome tomorrow in San Antonio, thanks to having more wins than Chicago.
Cloutier had been 0-5-4 in his last nine AHL decisions and last won at this level January 29, 2003, a 5-2 decision in Rochester. He had also been pulled in his only two career appearances against the Griffins, with a 6.89 goals against average. However, he was nearly perfect tonight.
The Griffins led 1-0 past the midway point of the second, when Mitchell tied things up with a superb power play goal with 3:45 left in the period. Mitchell took an outlet pass from Zbynek Michalek (two assists) and skated through the neutral zone. First, he sidestepped two defenders at the blueline. He then eluded another, and with that man draped all over him, Mitchell wound up and fired one top shelf by MacDonald for his seventh of the season.
Mitchell's goal snapped an 0-for-31 streak on the power play for Houston.
The New Yorker then showed he can play both ways a minute later, throwing a great hip check on Nathan Robinson to ride the youngster off the puck and into the boards.
Cloutier robbed Hugo Boisvert's rebound roof attempt 2:59 into the third to keep the game tied. Just past the period's midway point, Cloutier made two key stops on a shot from the point, then a rebound.
With the Aeros still pressing despite needing only to reach overtime to host the Qualifying Round, Wanvig put his team on top with 3:43 remaining. Rickard Wallin, behind the net, fed Wanvig between the circles, and the Aeros' leading scorer one-timed one high over MacDonald for his 25th of the season. The tally was his team-best seventh game-winner, but first since December 26.
Cavanaugh's unassisted empty netter sealed the win with 57.1 seconds left.
Houston finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while Grand Rapids went 1-for-3.
Cloutier was outstanding on an early Griffins power play. Grand Rapids got just two shots on the advantage, but they were both from point blank range, and the netminder was perfect.
The Aeros ended the opening period with a 13-8 shot advantage, but MacDonald was strong as well.
Houston's Erik Reitz clanged one off the post seven minutes into the second, and 90 seconds later Reitz was shown the gate for a hit on Darryl Bootland. Grand Rapids' power play was three minutes, because Ryan Bonni's roughing call negated the first two minutes of Reitz' major.
The Griffins capitalized on the power play, getting Groulx's eighth of the season with 7:48 left in the second. Travis Richards, in the left circle, fed a wide open Groulx at the point after the Griffins spent the majority of the three minutes in the Aeros' zone. Groulx's one-timer through traffic eluded Cloutier to give Grand Rapids a 1-0 lead.
Notes:
The Aeros won despite failing to lead after one period for the 13th time in 14 games.
Mitchell has three goals in two assists in 11 career games against the Griffins.
Houston finished the regular season 5-1-3-0 in its last eight home games.
In their first eight meetings this season, Grand Rapids outscored Houston 10-1 in the third period. In the last two games, it's been 6-1 Aeros.
The Griffins had yielded just 40 third-period goals this season coming into tonight.
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American Hockey League Stories from April 10, 2004
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