 | Josh Olson capped off Friday's win with an empty-net goal. |
From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Monday, November 13, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
AEROS WEEKLY REPORT
Coming Attractions – Home games Friday, Sunday!
WED, at MIL, 7 p.m.
It’s the much-anticipated first meeting between the Aeros and Admirals since last May, when Milwaukee swept Houston in four games in the West Division Finals. The Admirals staged a big, late rally to win Game 1 at Bradley Center 5-4, before routing Houston 7-0 two days later in Game 2. Milwaukee finished the sweep with 7-4 and 4-2 wins at Houston. The names and faces have changed, however. Gone are Milwaukee’s Simon Gamache, Darren Haydar, Jordin Tootoo, Scottie Upshall and goalie Pekka Rinne. Gamache, Haydar, Tootoo and Upshall combined for a whopping 30 points (14-16=30) in the four-game series last spring.
The Aeros went 4-3-1-0 against Milwaukee in the 2005-06 regular season, including a 2-2-0-0 mark in Milwaukee. Houston is 33-36-7-2 all-time versus the Admirals, with a 15-20-3-0 mark at Bradley Center. Milwaukee is the lone active AHL opponent that the Aeros hold an overall losing record against, with at least four meetings.
The Admirals have played only nine games – five fewer than any other team in the West Division – and their 4-4-1-0 mark has them just four points behind the Aeros, but with five games in hand. Milwaukee has won two in a row – both in overtime, and plays a Tuesday matinee game in Grand Rapids before Wednesday’s tilt against the Aeros. The Admirals are just 2-4-1-0 on home ice.
FRI, vs. SAN, 7:35 p.m.
104.1 KRBE Night (Get $10.40 tickets in Section 104 by calling 713.974.PUCK, while supplies last!)
The Aeros begin their first three-in-three stretch of the season against I-10 rival San Antonio. Houston has dominated the series from the beginning, especially at home. The Aeros have just two home regulation losses against the Rampage in 24 attempts (20-2-2-0), including an unbeaten in regulation 13-0-2-0 mark since the last regulation loss, a 6-3 decision January 16, 2004. The 15-game home unbeaten in regulation mark is the longest in Aeros’ team history against one opponent. Houston went 8-3-1-0 against San Antonio last season, including a 5-0-1-0 home mark. Overall, the Aeros are 32-8-6-3 versus San Antonio after a 5-4 Rampage shootout win at AT&T Center in the teams’ first meeting, on October 15.
San Antonio is 5-10-0-0 overall and is in sixth place in the West Division with 10 points. The Rampage appeared to be righting the ship with three straight wins, until getting beat 5-3 in Worcester and 9-3 in Hartford over the weekend. San Antonio has allowed 64 goals – 17 more than any other team in the West Division, and eight more than any other AHL team. Only Syracuse (0-6-0-0) has a worse road record entering this week than the Rampage (1-6-0-0).
SAT, at OMA, 7 p.m.
The teams meet for the first time this season. The Aeros were an impressive 7-1-1-1 against Omaha last season, although they won only two of the five games in Nebraska (2-1-1-1). Four of the five meetings in Omaha went to a shootout or overtime. The Aeros won the first two games there, but went 0-1-1-1 in the last three.
Omaha enters the week in first place in the West Division with a 10-3-1-0 mark. The Knights have won two of three overall, but have lost their last two home games by a combined 6-1 margin. Omaha features early Rookie of the Year frontrunner C Dustin Boyd, who leads the team with 18 points (8-10=18) despite missing two games due to a call-up with Calgary. Knights second-year G Curtis McElhinney is 5-2-0 and ranks fourth in the AHL in gaa (2.01).
SUN, vs. HAR, 5:05 p.m.
Family Day/STS-116 Discovery Flew Sendoff
 Click here to order Family Day tickets. Get four tickets, four Aeros gifts, $20 in Toyota Bucks and free parking, all starting at just $67. Or call 713.974.PUCK to order.
The Aeros finish the three-in-three with an early evening affair against Hartford. The teams may meet just twice a season, but they are typically entertaining affairs. After going 4-2-0-0 versus the Wolf Pack in the first three seasons, the Aeros are just 1-3-0-2 in the last six meetings. Hartford won both meetings in 2005-06, including a 5-1 rout at Toyota Center on March 4.
Hartford is 4-9-1-0 and in last place in the Atlantic Division. Only two AHL teams have scored fewer goals than the Wolf Pack (32), and that despite Hartford steamrolling San Antonio 9-3 on Saturday. The Pack plays in San Antonio on Saturday before heading East to take on the Aeros. Tough-luck G Al Montoya is 1-6-0 despite ranking sixth in the AHL with a 2.19 gaa.
All Aeros games are broadcast live on KNTH 1070-AM and through Aeros.com. For $6, you can also watch the game live via B2 Networks. Visit Aeros.com 10 minutes prior to gametime to order.
Player of the Week G Josh Harding
Aeros G Josh Harding
11/9 at IOW 38-40, W 3-2
11/10 at IOW 48-49, W 3-1
Totals – 2gp, 2-0-0, 1.50 gaa, .966 save pct.
The AHL’s busiest goalie got no rest last week, going 2-0-0 with a 1.50 gaa and stopping 86-of-89 shots over two games for a .966 save pct…Began week by making then season-high 38 saves in 3-2 win over Iowa on Thursday, Houston’s sixth straight one-goal game on the road…Stopped 18-of-19 shots in third period against Stars, including 2:23 of 5-on-3 time late in regulation…Also made 18-of-19 saves in first period Friday en route to season-high 48 total saves, including a perfect 19-of-19 in the third period, in 3-1 win at Iowa…Helped kill off all 10 Iowa power plays Friday, including six in the first period – when the Stars enjoyed a whopping 2:47 of 5-on-3 time…Was a big reason the Aeros were 17-of-18 on the penalty kill in the two-game set in Iowa, including killing off their final 5:10 of 5-on-3 time…Leads AHL in games played (14), minutes (828), shots faced (445) and saves (413)…Has made 115 more saves than any other AHL goalie (Manchester’s Jason LaBarbera has 298)…In the last 14 days, has moved from a tie for 17th in the AHL in gaa to seventh place (2.32), and 17th place in save pct. to fourth place (0.928)…Has started 13 of Houston’s 14 games, and played all but 21 of the Aeros’ goalie minutes this season…His 14-game run in net is the longest since Mike Smith’s franchise-record 19-game streak in 2004-05, when Harding was injured…Counting back to last season and including the playoffs, Harding has appeared in 23 straight games, including 22 starts…Has won three straight starts, with a 1.62 gaa and .961 save pct., after beginning the season 2-7-1…The Aeros have scored just 12 goals in his seven regulation losses.
Notables –
Houston has won three in a row overall and is 6-2-0-0 in its last eight after beginning the season 0-5-0-1. The Aeros are fifth in the West Division with 13 points, but just one point behind fourth-place Peoria and five behind third-place Iowa.
Aeros D Shawn Belle has five points (1-4=5) in 13 games in this, his second season. That matches his point total (2-3=5) in 61 games for Iowa and Houston last season.
Houston’s four straight road wins are the most since a season-best five-game streak from February 15-26 of last season.
The Aeros are 4-3-0-1 in one-goal games, two off Grand Rapids’ and Manchester’s league-high total of 10 such contests. Houston has played 855 minutes this season - and for 680 of those minutes (79.5 percent), it has been either a tie game, or one team has held a one-goal lead.
Thursday, RW Matt Foy became the 24th player in Aeros history to reach 100 points. Foy is seven penalty minutes away from becoming the 16th player in team history with 300 PIM’s. Foy would become just the seventh player in Aeros history to reach 100 points and 300 PIM’s.
The Aeros are 4-1-0-1 when playing the second game of back-to-backs, which bodes well going into their first three-in-three stretch of the season this weekend.
The Aeros have killed off 53-of-56 shorthanded chances in the last seven games to move up to fifth in the AHL at 87.6 percent. Houston has been shorthanded 105 times – fourth most in the league. Houston has actually been much better than fifth in the league when just down a single man. Five of the Aeros’ 13 PPG allowed have come on 5-on-3’s.
The Aeros are up to sixth in the AHL in average attendance, at 6,568 per game. Houston is up 39.2 percent over the first six games of the 2005-06 season.
Affiliation News
The National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild went 1-2-0 last week but still holds a five-point lead in the Northwest Division with an 11-5-0 mark…The Wild finishes a five-game road trip this week, in Phoenix on Tuesday and Nashville on Thursday, before returning home to face Colorado on Saturday…Former Aero G Manny Fernandez picked up his franchise-record 100th win with the Wild on Saturday.
The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters swept two games against South Division-leading Gwinnett…Texas is 6-2-1-0 for 13 points overall, two behind the Gladiators but with two games in hand…The Wildcatters are in fourth place in the tightly-contested South…F Kevin Baker (10-6=16) ranks second in the league in goals and tied for fifth in points… F Marco Rosa (5-8=13), who also attended Aeros’ camp, is second on the team in scoring …D Mike Madill (0-7=7) and D Paul Albers (2-3=5), both Minnesota Wild contracts, are enjoying strong rookie starts… F Mark Rooneem has three goals in eight games…F Riley Emmerson has 15 PIM’s in five games… G Miroslav Kopriva is 1-0-0 with a 5.38 gaa and a .829 save pct.
The Central Hockey League’s Austin Ice Bats are 3-4-2 and in a tie for second place in the Southeast Division. RW Michael Tucciarone, who attended the Aeros’ training camp in September, is third on the team with nine points (4-5=9).
Hole sponsorships for the 12th Annual Houston Aeros Golf Classic are still available. The tournament, benefiting Houston Aeros Charities and Elves & More, is set for Tuesday, Nov. 28 at Wildcat Golf Club at 12000 Almeda. Space is going quickly, so call 713.974.PUCK today!
Aeros sweep Stars
HOU 3, IOW 2; HOU 3, IOW 1
Thursday: Josh Harding made 18 of his 38 saves in the third period and was brilliant during a late 5-on-3, and rookie sensation Benoit Pouliot scored two goals, as the Houston Aeros held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Iowa Stars at Wells Fargo Arena. Harding stopped 18-of-19 shots in the third period alone, including several in a brilliant display of goaltending with Iowa on having more than two full minutes of a 5-on-3 late in regulation.
Friday: Josh Harding made 19 of his season-high 48 saves in a perfect third period and helped kill off all 10 Iowa power plays, and former Star Shawn Belle broke a tie with a man advantage goal early in the second period, as the Houston Aeros earned their fourth straight road win, 3-1 over Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena. Erik Reitz and Josh Olson also scored for Houston.
Aeros’ Practice schedule:
Monday – 10-11:30 a.m., Sugar Land
Tuesday – Travel Day
Wednesday – at MIL, 7 p.m.
Thursday – Travel Day
Friday – 10:15-11 a.m., pre-game skate; vs. SAN, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday – at OMA, 7 p.m.
Sunday – vs. HAR, 5:05 p.m.
Aeros non game-day practices are at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, the Official Training Facility of the Houston Aeros.
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