Aeros win third straight 2-1 over Griffs

Published on December 12, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Grand Rapids, MI – Dan Cavanaugh and Eric Reitz scored 1:18 apart midway through the first period and Johan Holmqvist finished with 26 saves and helped stave off a five-minute Grand Rapids power play in the third period, as the Houston Aeros beat the Griffins 2-1 at Van Andel Arena for their season-best third straight win. Houston now has 20 points, two behind sixth-place Utah, which tied Manchester 2-2 tonight. The Aeros play host to San Antonio Saturday on Teddy Bear Toss Night. The team will also give away 3,000 sets of Aeros playing cards. Nathan Robinson scored and Marc Lamothe stopped 19 shots for Grand Rapids, which has lost two straight after an eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1).

Houston scored the game's first two goals to take control.

Cavanaugh made it 1-0 at the 9:03 mark, after his hustle eliminated a Griffins power play. Cavanaugh blocked a shot at the blueline, won a race to the other blueline and was hauled down by Jeff Nelson, negating the Grand Rapids man advantage.

With the teams 4-on-4, Mika Hannula left a drop pass to Cavanaugh, who ripped one over Lamothe's shoulder and under the crossbar for his seventh goal of the season. Travis Roche started the play with a great cross-ice pass to Hannula.

Cavanaugh extended his point streak to five games, with two goals and five assists in that span. He has a hand in seven of the Aeros' last 10 goals.

Reitz made it 2-0 Houston on the power play at 10:21. Rickard Wallin, in the corner, found a wide open Reitz, whose rocket one-timer eluded Lamothe for his second of the season.

Grand Rapids drew within a goal with 2:13 left in the first, just more than a minute after a too many men on the ice penalty to the Aeros. Michel Picard ripped a shot and Holmqvist made the save. But the rebound came to Robinson, who tapped the puck into the net for his fifth of the season. Robinson is the only one of Grand Rapids' top five scorers that is in the lineup due to callups.

Houston had five power plays in the middle period, but managed just six shots as neither team scored.

It was actually Grand Rapids that had the best shot on a 2-on-1 with six minutes left. Holmqvist, however, broke up the odd-man rush with a save on Picard.

Late in the stanza, the Griffins' Kory Karlander just missed on a shorthanded attempt, Grand Rapids' second great shorthanded chance in the waning minutes of the period.

Houston's Stephane Veilleux got his stick up on Picard at the 6:15 mark of the third, sending the Griffins on the power play for five minutes. Grand Rapids had several good chances on the man advantage, but Holmqvist was there – as were his teammates to sweep aside several rebounds.

Grand Rapids' Danny Groulx was called for high sticking with 2:17 left, stunting any possible comeback attempt, as the Griffins weren't able to pull Lamothe until there were only 30 seconds left.

Houston finished 1-for-8 on the power play, while Grand Rapids went 1-for-4 on the man advantage.

Notes:

The Aeros scored first for the first time in six games. The last time they'd scored the game's first goal was in a 5-4 loss to Syracuse on November 28, when they surrendered a 4-0 lead.

Houston is 8-0-0-0 when allowing one goal and 0-13-2-2 when yielding two or more.

Holmqvist is 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals against average in his last three games.

The Aeros had trailed in 10 straight games and 12 of 13 prior to tonight.

Lamothe fell to 9-4-1 all-time against the Aeros.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2003


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