HOUSTON 2, PEORIA 0
Just two nights after surrendering six goals in its postseason opener, a 6-4 loss, Houston clamped down and evened its West Division semifinal with a 2-0 win at Peoria on Friday night.
Aeros goaltender Anton Khudobin stopped all 30 shots he faced to become the third netminder in as many nights to record his first AHL playoff shutout.
The 22-year-old Khudobin made 13 saves in the third period alone as Houston was outshot 13-6, and he followed Portland’s Jhonas Enroth (Wednesday) and Hartford’s Matt Zaba (Thursday) in registering the first whitewash of his Calder Cup Playoff career.
Peter Olvecky put the Aeros on top with just nine seconds left in the opening period, and that’s all the offense Houston would need.
The teams played a scoreless middle stanza, and the Aeros picked up an insurance marker when Danny Irmen scored at 8:45 of the third. Olvecky assisted on that tally to finish with two points on the night.
There will be little rest for the weary, as the best-of-7 series shifts to Houston for Game 3 on Saturday night.
