From: Ryan StanzelDirector of Communications
Monday, December 11, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
AEROS WEEKLY REPORT
Coming Attractions – Home games Wednesday, Saturday!
Click above link or call 1.866.GO.AEROS for single game tickets.
WED, vs. MTB, 7:05 p.m.
The Maple Leaf Pub Happy Hour Game/Aeros Charities Toy Drive (please only bring items on list)
Get a center ice ticket, free parking, $10 in Toyota Bucks and a free drink coupon to The Maple Leaf Pub, all for $32! Package also available in lower end zone for $23. Go to www.aeros.com/themenights to order. Username is Happy, password is Hour. Or, call 713.974.PUCK to order.
Houston has won two of the last three meetings against the Moose, after dropping the previous six (0-5-0-1). The Aeros went 2-1-0-1 last season versus Manitoba, including a 1-0-0-1 mark at Toyota Center. Houston is 37-20-10-1 all-time against the Moose franchise, including a 19-9-5-1 home mark. The Aeros are just 4-8-1-1 in the last 14 overall meetings.
The Moose has won two in a row – both at home versus Peoria – on the heels of a four-game skid. Manitoba has dropped each of its last two road games, and begins a four-game trek through Texas.
THUR, at SAN, 7 p.m.
Houston has dropped its last four games at AT&T Center (0-3-0-1), and hasn’t won there since a 5-3 decision on January 5. The Aeros are 2-1-0-1 overall against San Antonio this season. Houston is 34-9-6-3 all-time versus the Rampage, including a 13-7-4-3 road mark.
San Antonio snapped a three-game skid on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win over Milwaukee. Each of the Rampage’s last two victories has come in overtime or a shootout – its last regulation victory was a 4-2 decision over Houston on November 21. San Antonio is 1-1-0-0 to begin a six-game homestand through December 21.
SAT, vs. MTB, 7:35 p.m.
Jingle Bell Rock (3K Stocking Giveaway)/Aeros Charities Toy Drive (please only bring items on list)/Teddy Bear Toss
It’s the finale of the HAC Toy Drive, and also Teddy Bear Toss Night. Bring in a new stuffed animal to throw on the ice after the Aeros’ first goal. The items will be donated to KHOU's Spirit of Texas Toy Drive, benefing The Salvation Army.
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
12/7 vs. OMA 26-26, 0-1 SOL
12/9 vs. OMA 37-40, 3-4 SOL
Totals – 2gp, 0-0-2, 1.38 gaa ,.955 save pct.
Went 0-0-2 with a 1.38 gaa and a .955 save pct. last week...Earned first shutout of season but fell 1-0 in shootout Thursday against Omaha...Made 37 saves - most in 10 games - in 4-3 SOL to Omaha on Saturday...Leads AHL in games (24), minutes (1418) and ranks second in shots faced (721) and saves (664)...Is tied for sixth in wins (nine), tied for eighth in gaa (2.41) and tied for fourth in save pct. (.921)...Sports a 2.61 December gaa and a .917 save pct. in the month, but has an 0-2-2 mark...The Aeros have scored just four goals in his four December appearances.
Notables –
Aeros D Peter Ratchuk has 10 points (3-7=10) in the last 11 games. He is tied for 12th in defenseman scoring with 14 points (3-11=14).
The Aeros allowed Omaha two power play goals on Saturday - matching their total from the last nine home games combined. Houston ranks fourth in the league on the penalty kill at 87.0 percent.
Houston went 2-for-8 on the power play Saturday versus Omaha, raising its season average to 12.4 percent. The Aeros have moved out of 27th place to 26th in the league on the man advantage.
The Aeros' three shootout losses are most in the Western Conference. They are 2-3 in shootouts this season.
Affiliation News
The National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild won all three games last week, defeating Chicago 3-2 in a shootout, Calgary 3-2 in a shootout and Chicago 5-4 in overtime…Minnesota heads west this week, traveling to Calgary on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday…C Wyatt Smith has two assists in 17 games…RW Matt Foy has four PIM’s in eight games.
The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters took two of three home games from Charlotte last week to move to an American Conference-best 15-4-2-0…The Wildcatters rank tied for second in the entire ECHL with 32 points, just one behind Las Vegas, which has a lower winning percentage…Texas finishes a six-game homestand with three games against Phoenix on Thursday, Friday and Saturday…F Kevin Baker (16-12=28), who attended Aeros camp, leads the ECHL in goals and is tied for eighth in points…Baker earned a call-up last week to AHL Milwaukee…C Marco Rosa is tied for fourth in the team with 22 points (10-12=22) despite missing six games due to a call-up to Houston…D Mike Madill (1-15=16) and D Paul Albers (4-12=16), both Minnesota Wild contracts, are the top two scoring rookies on the team… F Mark Rooneem has seven points (5-2=7) in 20 games…F Riley Emmerson has 47 PIM’s in 15 games, and picked up his first pro point, an assist, last week…… G Miroslav Kopriva is 4-0-0 with a 3.19 gaa and a .904 save pct. in eight games…G Matt Yeats, who attended Aeros camp, is 11-4-2 with a 3.20 gaa and a .908 save pct.
The Central Hockey League’s Austin Ice Bats went 0-2-0-0 last week and are 8-8-4, in fourth place in the Southeast Division…RW Michael Tucciarone, who attended the Aeros’ training camp in September, is tied for fourth on the team with 14 points (7-7=14).
Aeros earn two of four points
OMA 1, HOU 0 (SO); OMA 4, HOU 3 (SO)
Thursday: Curtis McElhinney made 29 saves for his third shutout this season, and Andrei Taratukhin’s shootout goal gave Omaha a 1-0 victory over the Aeros at Toyota Center.
Josh Harding had 26 stops for Houston.
Saturday: The Knights used goals from Andrei Taratukhin and Carsen Germyn to escape a two-goal, third period deficit with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, and then they outlasted the Aeros in a 13-round shootout for a 4-3 victory. Rookie Dustin Boyd notched a goal and two assists, plus the deciding shootout tally.
Peter Ratchuk tallied a goal and an assist, rookie Ryan Hamilton also scored a power play goal and Josh Harding made 37 saves for Houston
Aeros’ Practice schedule:
Monday – 10-11:30 a.m., Sugar Land
Tuesday – 10-11:30 a.m. Sugar Land
Wednesday – 10:15-11 a.m., pre-game skate, vs. MTB, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday – at SAN, 7 p.m.
Friday – TBA
Saturday – 10:15-11 a.m., pre-game skate, vs. MTB, 7:35 p.m.
Sunday – TBA
Aeros non game-day practices are at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, the Official Training Facility of the Houston Aeros.
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MINNESOTA WILD REASSIGNS C JASON MORGAN TO HOUSTON AEROS
SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reassigned C Jason Morgan to the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Houston Aeros, the Wild’s primary development affiliate.
Morgan, 30 (10/9/76), did not collect a point while skating in four games with the Wild, averaging 7:28 of ice time. The St. John’s Newfoundland-native was recalled from Houston Oct. 28 and skated to a -1 plus/minus ratio in four games before suffering a leg injury that forced him to miss the next 15 games.
A 6-foot-1, 194-pound center, Morgan has now played in 44 career NHL games. In eight games with the Aeros this season, Morgan has accrued 20 penalty minutes.
---HOUSTON AEROS---
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