Although it only took one game for the Hamilton Bulldogs to get right back in the Calder Cup Final series against the Houston Aeros, it sure seemed like two.

That's because in all actuality it was.

Michael Ryder put an end to the longest game in American Hockey League history when he scored at 14:56 of the 7th period (4th OT) as the Dogs evened up the best of seven series 1-1.

Ryder continued his solid play in the post-season as he opened the goal scoring at 3:32 of the first period. Ryder scored his 9th of the playoffs by roofing a backhander on a power play.

The Aeros' lone goal came off the stick of Hnat Domenichelli. Domenichelli scored on a 5-on-3 power play near the half-way mark of the first period.

The game was scoreless for the next six-plus periods.

Both goalies were heroic between the pipes, ending the game with a
combined 162 saves.

Hamilton's Ty Conklin stopped 83 of 84 shots, including all 51 shots he faced in sudden-death overtime, while Houston's Johan Holmqvist turned aside 79 of 81 Bulldogs attempts.

Both teams had many great chances to score in all four overtime periods, and the netminders survived a combined eight power play chances in OT alone.

Jason Ward nearly ended the game in the first overtime but was robbed by Aeros goalie Johan Holmqvist.

As Tony Salmelainen was denied on a partial breakaway, Ward arrived on the scene but couldn't finish off the game as the netminder made an outstanding glove save with his back-side on the goal-line.

Then it was the Aeros' turn to feel as if they were bilked out of goal.

Late in the second overtime, forward Travis Roche's apparent game-winning power-play goal was called back because of a debatable goaltender interference call.

The Aeros' later dodged another bullet when Hamilton's Chad Hinz looked at an open net as Holmqvist was out of position, but hit the side of the net in the 4th extra frame.

The winning goal was scored at 1:03 a.m. EDT on Saturday morning, nearly six hours after the game began.

The game surpassed by 48 seconds the previous longest game ever in the AHL, and was longer than all but five NHL games ever played.

Fans didn't shy away from Copps Coliseum for Game 2. A crowd of 10,419 -- the largest in the AHL this postseason -- attended the marathon, with many still around at the end.

The game also set a Bulldogs playoff record for single game attendance.

The series now switches to Houston for Game 3 on Wednesday, Game 4 on Friday and Game 5 on Saturday.

If Games 6 and 7 are necessary, they would be played in Hamilton.


Longest games, Calder Cup Playoffs (by OT played)
1. May 30, 2003 ---Houston 1 at Hamilton 2 ----------74:56
2. Apr. 10, 1982 ---Rochester 2 at New Haven 3 ---74:08
3. Apr. 04, 1938 ---Syracuse 3 at Cleveland 2 ------62:42
4. Apr. 14, 1953 ---Cleveland 2 at Pittsburgh 3 ------61:46
5. Apr. 11, 1985 ---Nova Scotia 4 at Maine 3 --------60:17

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