HOUSTON 3, BINGHAMTON 1
Veteran forward Jed Ortmeyer netted two of Houston’s three goals in the third period, and the Aeros rallied for a 3-1 win over visiting Binghamton on Friday before 8,018 fans at Toyota Center in Game 1 of the 2011 Calder Cup Finals.
Houston halted the Senators’ eight-game road winning streak and handed Binghamton its first defeat on enemy ice since Game 1 of the division semifinals at Manchester, a 2-1 setback on Apr. 14 which also marked the last time the Sens were held to only one goal.
The game was scoreless more than halfway through the second period before Senators rookie Bobby Butler broke through at 16:17 for his rookie-leading 11th goal of the postseason, with fellow rookie Colin Greening picking up the lone helper.
Ortmeyer, a veteran of 310 NHL contests, tied the game up 1:47 into the third period and then notched the eventual game-winner at the 6:09 mark. Former first-round draft pick Colton Gillies and defenseman Marco Scandella assisted on both goals, which were Ortmeyer’s fifth and sixth of the playoffs.
Houston forward Warren Peters, making his second straight Calder Cup Finals appearance after getting this far with Texas in 2010, added an empty-net tally in the game’s closing minute.
Aeros rookie goaltender Matt Hackett held the fort from there, finishing with 23 saves on 24 shots to improve to 13-6 in 19 postseason contests. At the other end, 19-year-old Robin Lehner made 38 saves for Binghamton in the losing effort.
Both sides finished 0-for-2 on the power play in a game which only featured a combined 14 minutes in penalties.
The teams will get right back on the Toyota Center ice for Game 2 on Saturday night before the series shifts to Binghamton next week.
2011 Calder Cup Finals – Series “O” (best-of-7)
W2-Houston Aeros vs. E5-Binghamton Senators
Game 1 – Fri., May 27 – HOUSTON 3, Binghamton 1
Game 2 – Sat., May 28 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:35
Game 3 – Wed., June 1 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
Game 4 – Fri., June 3 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sat., June 4 – Houston at Binghamton, 7:05
*Game 6 – Tue., June 7 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:05
*Game 7 – Thu., June 9 – Binghamton at Houston, 8:05
