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Red-hot Aeros storm back for 4-2 win over Rampage

March 27, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Houston, TX – Dan Cavanaugh celebrated his Bobblehead Night with a game-tying goal, and Jordan Krestanovich put Houston ahead 1:20 later in the second period, as the Aeros rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 4-2 win over the San Antonio Rampage in front of 10,275 fans at Toyota Center. Marc Cavosie got the comeback started, Billy Tibbetts chipped in two assists and Kyle Kettles made 18 saves for the Aeros, who are unbeaten in four (3-0-1-0) and play host to Milwaukee on Girl Scout/Family Day on Sunday at 5 p.m. Houston, which also got an empty net goal and an assist from Jason Beckett, rallied from two goals down to win for the first time this season.

Fourth-place Houston moved to 70 points, five better than Cincinnati, which tied Cleveland 3-3 tonight. Seventh-place San Antonio fell 12 points behind the Aeros, who lost in regulation just once in 12 games against the Rampage this season (7-1-2-2). Houston's magic number for clinching a playoff spot dropped to 11 points.

Ryan Jardine and Michel Periard scored 52 seconds apart early in the second period and Travis Scott finished with 25 saves for San Antonio, which has lost three straight and is winless in four (0-3-1-0).

San Antonio went on an extended power play at the end of the first when Christoph Brandner was given an attempt to injure match penalty when he lost an edge and rode Lukas Krajicek hard into the boards chasing an icing call.

The teams ended that first period scoreless, but they exploded for five in a second period that ended with the Aeros on top 3-2.

Houston and San Antonio actually started the second 4-on-4 thanks to a bench minor for profanity on San Antonio at the end of the opening period, but the Rampage scored twice – once even strength and once on the power play – in the opening 2:35 of the second to take a 2-0 lead.

With the teams 4-on-4, Jardine followed a pair of misses by former Aero Greg Crozier by banging the puck under Kettles from the low right circle. The tally came at the 1:43 mark and was Jardine's fifth of the season in 16 games.

Periard made it a two-goal edge 52 seconds later on the power play. He took a pass from Troy Milam and rocketed one just inside the far post from the left point for his seventh of the season.

Cavosie's 10th got the Aeros within 2-1 with 11:26 left in the second. Tibbetts, along the right boards, fed Erik Reitz at the right point. The blueliner ripped a one-timer that Cavosie deflected with a backhand at the left doorstep into the net.

Cavanaugh tied the game with 4:36 left in the second. He put a shot on net from the point, and it deflected off San Antonio's Greg Campbell and past an out of position Scott.

Referee Brian Pochmara left the game with 4:16 left in the second. He dislocated his shoulder when he fell to the ice behind Kettles. Aeros trainer Jerry Meins tended to Pochmara for several minutes on the bench, before Pochmara headed to the locker room leaving linesmen Sean Finn and Frank Prestigiovanni to call the game until the third, when Pochmara returned.

The Aeros took their first lead at 3-2 exactly a minute after Pochmara left the ice on Krestanovich's second with the team. Ben Storey threw the puck on net from the point, and Scott made the pad save but left a rebound on the deck. Krestanovich swooped in and put the puck into the open net for his sixth overall goal.

Houston, using an aggressive forecheck, outshot Houston 12-3 in the third. Josh Olson tipped a shot just wide from in front of Kettles four minutes into the frame for the Rampage's best chance.

Beckett finished things off with 34 seconds left and Scott out of the net. Jan Vodrazka cleared the puck 200 feet around the boards from behind his own cage, and Beckett beat all six Rampage players down the ice to just inside the opposite blueline. He put the puck into the empty net for his fourth of the season.

Houston went 0-for-4 on the power play, while San Antonio finished 1-for-7.

The Aeros nearly took the lead 4:31 into the first, when Reitz unloaded a shot from the right point. It hit several bodies in front, and Scott dove back to his left as the puck sat in the crease. Seconds later on the other end, San Antonio's Paul Healey clanged one off the post from the low slot.

With 13:38 left in the first, Rampage defenseman Kent Huskins sent Tibbetts hard into the boards, getting the Aero up high with his stick. Tibbetts was slow to get up but returned later in the period to fight Kristian Kudroc.

The Rampage didn't manage a shot until nine minutes had expired, with the Aeros getting aided by a pair of power plays in the opening half of the period.

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