Aeros stay alive, push series to limit

 

4
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Game 4

Mike Condon made 41 saves as the Houston Aeros defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins, 4-1, in Game 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series at Van Andel Arena on Friday night.

With the series tied at two games apiece, the winner of Saturday’s Game 5 will advance to the second round of the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Mikael Granlund, Chad Rau, Steven Kampfer and David McIntyre scored for the Aeros, and Justin Fontaine, who is tied for the AHL lead in playoff scoring with eight points, recorded three assists.

Grand Rapids scored first as Luke Glendening converted on a shorthanded breakaway at 4:44 of the first period.

Houston tied the game on Granlund’s power-play goal at 12:24, and took the lead for good when Rau scored his first goal of the series in the final minute of the period.

Kampfer’s shot from the point at 10:35 of the second period gave the Aeros their second power-play goal of the game and a 3-1 lead, and McIntyre found the empty net with 2:05 left in regulation for the final margin.

Condon stopped all 18 shots he faced in the third period as the Griffins outshot the Aeros 18-4 over the final 20 minutes.

Petr Mrazek denied 15 of 18 shots in the game for Grand Rapids.