HOUSTON — Pure playoff hockey. That's what the Aeros and Grizzlies delivered Saturday night in Houston. The 4,924 fans on hand saw the two teams scratch, claw and fight for the victory for 67 minutes and 34 seconds before Niko Kapanen ended it at 7:34 into overtime when he tipped a shot from Mark Wotton past Jamie McLennan for a 3-2 Grizzlies win. The victory knotted the best-of-five series at a win apiece and sent the Grizzlies home with a chance to win the series at the E Center.
The first two periods were a continuation of Game 1 as the teams probed each other's defenses, but Jamie MacLennan and Wade Flaherty were there to clean up the few mistakes. Unlike Thursday, though, the Grizzlies picked up the physical play and seemed determined to make a statement that they would not be deterred by Houston's physical tactics, "I'm really happy with the way we responded," said Grizzlies coach Don Hay.
"We had to pick up our performance, and we did that in the first period," Hay said. "We really worked hard and it paid off."
Despite the added effort it wasn't over until the Grizzlies had allowed the Aeros' Jamie McLennan to post 102 minutes of shutout hockey. After winning the faceoff in the Aeros zone, Ryan Jardine let loose with a wrist shot from the right circle that snuck inside the near post at 2:31 of the third period to give Utah its first lead of the series.
The Grizzlies added what turned out to be a crucial second goal at 6:45 of the third after MacLennan and Lawrence Nycholat tied each other up behind the Houston net, allowing Niko Kapanen to center the pass to Barrett Heisten in front. Heisten buried the shot over a diving MacLennan.
After the Game 1 loss, the Grizzlies had spoken of the need to get more people in front of the Aeros net and on the puck in the Aeros' zone, and the two goals were a direct result of that effort.
"There was more will and determination in our game," said Hay. "Playoffs are all about being team. All of our guys responded and played better. We had a few key players who needed to pick up their game, and they responded."
For all of the lessons about effort in front of the net, the Aeros knew it as well and, down 2-0 midway through the third, managed to claw back with just such effort.
At 10:40 of the final period, Flaherty saved Tony Virta's initial shot and Mark Beaufait couldn't get the rebound into the open net but managed to control the puck behind the net and centered it back to Virta in front. It took Virta two whacks at the puck to beat Flaherty to cut the lead to 2-1.
With time winding down, the Aeros sent the game to overtime with another scramble goal. Virta again started the play and created a scrum around the Utah net.
Virta backhanded the puck in front, where Greg Hawgood was tied up with Curtis Murphy. Murphy was falling down backward as he reached out and tipped the puck past Flaherty.
"We had a scramble in front when (Morgan) lost his stick," said Hawgood. "We got on the wrong side of him, and as I was pulling him down, he managed to get his stick to it."
Now the Grizzlies head back to West Valley City, where a best-of-three series awaits the Grizzlies. However, with the teams as close as they are, neither team thinks that the home ice is more than a small advantage.
"I think both teams are so close that they are both ready to come out and do battle each night, "said Hay.
Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night at the E-Center. Faceoff is at 7 p.m.