ST. PAUL, Minn. Two goals by Dan Cavanaugh were the difference in the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-1 loss to the Houston Aeros (29-21-6-3) on Monday night at the Xcel Energy Center. With 21 games remaining on each of their schedules, the Griffins trail the Aeros by six points for the fourth and final playoff spot.

The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 22 at the Toyota Center in Houston, but was postponed due to the Griffins snow-related travel delays.

The Griffins (29-27-2-1) opened the games scoring at the 6:22 mark of the second period. Eric Himelfarb dug the puck off the boards allowing Kip Miller to gain possession. Miller threaded a pass to the right circle where Ryan Barnes stepped into a one-timer which squeezed through Josh Hardings legs.

Houston answered with 2:06 remaining in the middle frame. Marc Cavosie gained possession of the puck behind the Griffins net. He tapped a pass into the goal mouth allowing Cavanaugh to lift a backhanded shot over a prone Joey MacDonald.

The Aeros gained a 2-1 lead when Cavanaugh tallied his second goal of the game shorthanded at 3:17 of the third period. Cavosie raced through the neutral zone and fired a shot on MacDonald. The shot was blocked, but Cavanaugh gathered the puck and tucked it into the net.

Houston opened a two-goal lead with 5:09 remaining in the final frame. When Rickard Wallin won the puck along the boards and tapped a pass to Matt Foy. Foy moved around MacDonald and buried the puck over the sprawled Griffins netminder.

For the second consecutive game the Griffins succeeded in extinguishing all of their opponents power plays as they kept Houston scoreless on seven opportunities.

MacDonald finished the game with 26 saves while Harding stopped 25 attempts.

Grand Rapids returns home to host the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday and Friday nights.