Same ref - different game.

Jeff Smith called the game again today and just like yesterday, he let the teams play and kept he calls down. Except, he sure didn't do the right thing in the 3rd period.

The energy isn't the same as yesterday, but they crowd is one of the largest of the season - 14,912.

The Wolves were up 3-0 in the 3rd when the Aeros had 2 goals within 7 seconds of each other against. Michael Garnett was in goal again, and everybody looked a bit shook-up. The teams combined for six second-period goals, including five in a span of 4:39. I guess that's enough to shake-up everybody. (One of these goals was by Steve Maltais - it was his 450th regular season goal as a member of the Chicago Wolves.)

It got REAL UGLY in the 3rd.

Houston's Mark Cullen scored a goal at 9:54 in the 3rd, tyeing the game 4-4. It shouldn't have counted. As he shot, Michael Garnett opened up and reached to glove-it with his left hand. At the same time, Kirby Law charges the net off-balance and - with his skate blade - hits Garnett in the face, popping-off his helmet and slashing him in the mouth. It happened so fast, all anybody saw was the helmet flying and Garnett flying face-first onto the ice. He laid there and everybody thought he was just pissed at himself for missing the shot. The TV cameras had a closeup of him on the ice, when all of a sudden you see blood flowing out his mouth onto the ice. The place went crazy. Jeff Smith finally calls a penalty against Law - a 5 minute major for Charging (which, somehow, also got spun-up to a Game Misconduct) - but ALLOWS THE GOAL. Kari Lehtonen had to step-in and finish the game for Garnett. I still haven't heard what happened to him.

So, it's tied after Regulation.

Another Overtime period. Still tied.

Another Shootout. Still tied.

Sudden Death Shootout.

It takes 5 rounds and we lose.

Damn. Very unsatisfying.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)