PEORIA, Ill – Peoria, ILL – Springtime in Illinois – one minute it is raining and he next, warm and sunny. Game 7 of the West Division semifinals between the Houston Aeros and Peoria Rivermen seemed to echo that cycle. Typifying the six games that preceded, this game changed from one period to the next. Houston dominated the first period, Peoria the second and in the end, it was Houston the sun was shining on.
Things began very well for the Aeros, who started the scoring off with a score when Krys Kolanos finally put the third rebound past a scrambling Manny Legace just over a minute and a half into the game. Legace was out of the crease by that time, nearly into the left face-off circle. Houston was able to add to their lead ten minutes later when the Rivermen made a poor pass across the blueline on a power play. Robbie Earl brought it down the ice unmolested only to have Legace stop his shot. The rebound came out into the slot and Marco Rosa was able to pick it up and bury it for the 2-0 lead.
So, like the weather, 20 minutes later things changed dramatically. It started when Houston’s Tomas Mojzis fell down in the neutral zone and Peoria’s Steve Wagner was able to flip the puck toward the Aeros defensive zone. Jonathan Filewich found the puck in full stride and pushed it over Houston goaltender Anton Khudobin’s blocker at the 7:33 mark of the second period. Sparked by the goal and the positive results of a re-instituted fore-check, the Rivermen started working the puck hard. Steve Regier battled for the puck behind the net and pushed it back in front, where Carl Corazinni one timed it past the stick of Khudobin to tie the game. After dominating the shots on goal in the first period 14-5, Houston did not get a single shot on Legace during the second period.
The third period went back-and forth until the midway point of he period when Houston’s Maxim Noreau skipped a slapshot from just inside the blue line past Legace for what would eventually be the winning goal. The Rivermen would briefly pressure about five minutes later, but Corey Locke and Mitch Love would each add empty-net goals to bring the final score to 5-2 in front of a disappointed 2,087 fans at the Peoria Civic Center.
Houston head coach Kevin Constantine thought the back and forth of the game was completely in character for this series. “The way this series has gone, it isn’t a surprise it was tied going into the third period.”
“Our power play saved us some games,” said Constantine. “Our penalty kill really stepped up after giving up three goals in the first game.”
In fact, Houston’s penalty kill unit would only surrender one more goal in the next six games.
Houston advances to the West Division finals against Milwaukee, a series that starts Thursday, April 30 in Milwaukee.
Contact shaun.bill@prohockeynews.com
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