Wolves Drop Aeros to Move on to Second Round
Published on April 27, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
HOUSTON---The Chicago Wolves became the first team to move forth in the Calder Cup playoffs, erasing a 3-1 second-period deficit to defeat the Houston Aeros, 5-3, in Game 5 of the West Division Semifinal at the Toyota Center on Tuesday.
Left wing Brian Maloney broke the 3-3 tie with 1:50 remaining in regulation. Maloney escaped two Aeros defenders by gliding around the net where he snapped off a wrist shot that beat Houston goaltender Josh Harding, top-shelf. Left wing Karl Stewart chipped in an empty-net goal to seal the Aeros' fate at 19:18 of the final frame.
The teams combined for eight goals during the contest after registering a total of seven in the previous three games of the series.
"If you would have told me that we'd win out in their building, I would have been shocked," said Head Coach John Anderson. "It was a very hard-fought series. Both teams were extremely fatigued at the end because of that."
Chicago (4-1) swept the Aeros in Houston to win its eighth consecutive opening playoff round. The Wolves also swept the Aeros in Houston in the 2000 Western Conference Final.
Houston (1-4) is winless at the Toyota Center in the playoffs (0-5).
The Aeros grabbed the first lead of the game, 1-0, midway through the first period on forward Junior Lessard's first goal of the postseason. Right wing Kyle Wanvig intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and fed Lessard with a pass, breaking into the Chicago zone. Lessard made a quick cut around a defender and lifted a wrist shot over Wolves netminder Kari Lehtonen's shoulder and into the net at 11:04 of the opening stanza.
Lehtonen (4-1) turned aside 26 of the 29 shots he faced.
The Wolves responded, 1-1, late in the first frame on a power-play goal off the stick of center Cory Larose. With Chicago working on a five-minute man-advantage because of a checking from behind major assessed to Aeros right wing Derek Boogaard, right wing J.P. Vigier broke the Houston zone and headed for the net. Vigier faked a shot, then slipped a feed across the crease that Larose banged past Harding at 16:31 of the opening period.
Harding (0-2) recorded 31 saves.
Twenty-four seconds into the second period, the Aeros used a power-play goal to regain the lead, 2-1. Defenseman Zbynek Michalek ripped a shot from the point that found its way through a screen and past Lehtonen.
Houston added to its lead, 3-1, midway though the second period on tic-tac-toe passing by center Rickard Wallin and right wing Kirby Law. The two forwards worked their way out of the corner where Law slipped a crisp pass over a defender's stick that Wallin one-timed past Lehtonen at 7:57 of the middle frame.
Then, the Wolves cut back into the lead, 3-2, with their second-power play marker of the night. Larose held his ground behind the net, waiting for an open teammate before spotting center Tommi Santala at the side of the net. Larose snapped a pass that Santala one-timed past Harding, top-shelf, at 11:32 of the second stanza. The goal marked the first time in 15 games dating back to the regular season that Chicago posted multiple power-play tallies.
Just 23 seconds later, Chicago tied the game, 3-3, on defenseman Brian Sipotz's first career professional playoff tally. Sipotz took a pass from right wing Ben Simon at the left point and flung a shot at the net that bounced off an Aeros defenseman and past Harding at 11:55 of the middle frame.
Chicago will battle either the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks or Milwaukee Admirals in the West Division Final. The dates and times have not been determined.
American Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2005
- Monarchs Even Series With Holland's Blast - Manchester Monarchs
- Ducks stave off elimination with 3-1 win over Admirals - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Carter scores twice as Phantoms defeat Norfolk 4-1 - Adirondack Phantoms
- Late Manchester goal evens series - Providence Bruins
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Tiger-Cats Connect With Primus - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Fifth Annual Adopt-A-Kid A Success - Syracuse Crunch
- Hennessy Joins Capital District Sports - Albany River Rats
- Wolves Drop Aeros to Move on to Second Round - Chicago Wolves
- Chicago wins series - Houston Aeros
- Rochester wins the best-of-seven series 4-0 - Hamilton Bulldogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
