From: Patrick Armstrong, Director of Communications
713.361.7920 (Direct Line)
Scott Henninger, Communications Manager
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Saturday, November 10, 2007

HOUSTON AEROS DOMINATE WORCESTER SHARKS, 5-1

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros played strong and kept the game even through two periods and dominated the final session in a 5-1 win over the Worcester Sharks at Toyota Center in front of 8,112 fans. Houston (5-7-1-0) capitalized on a season-high three of seven power-play opportunities as Worcester (6-4-1-0) marked one goal in eight man-advantage situations.

Five different Aeros marked a goal in the game including the night’s point leader LW Peter Olvecky with three points (2-1=3), setting a career-high for points in a game. Sharks C Mike Iggulden netted Worcester’s only goal of the night. Houston’s G Barry Brust (3-4-0) stopped 34 of 35 shots in the win. Shark’s G Taylor Dakers (5-3-0) blocked 29 of 34 shots on net.

Box Score

Houston allowed the number-one ranked power-play in the league an early opportunity but applied some short-handed pressure with a two-on-one breakaway as C Adrian Foster received a dump-pass and took a shot that was foiled by Dakers’ glove-hand stab. The Aeros successfully burned off three first-period penalties and kept the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.

The second period began with pressure going both ways on the ice but as Worcester took two consecutive-penalties the Aeros used the later power-play to their advantage. D Brandon Rogers took a shot from close to the blue line, RW Petr Kalus put the rebound across the net and Olvecky dumped the puck in for the 1-0 lead at 6:42 in the second. Less than 30 seconds later D Clayton Stoner was called for holding and the Sharks took advantage netting a power-play goal of their own only 48 seconds into the man-advantage. Iggulden marked the goal as D Derek Joslin earned the assist to tie the game at 1-1. Brust stopped a total of 17 shots during the second period before heading to the locker room. A pair of late penalties by Worcester put the Aeros in a five-on-three advantage for the waining moments of the period.

Houston had 58 seconds of five-on-three to begin the final session and could not capitalize. However, they tallied back-to-back goals a mere 39 seconds apart, for the fastest two Aeros' goals this season. Olvecky notched the eventual game-winning goal at 3:13 in the third period and RW Moises Gutierrez followed with an insurance-goal in his first AHL game. Kalus and D Erik Reitz had the assists on the Kalus marker and C Marco Rosa earned the helper on Gutierrez’s.

The Aeros continued to defy the team’s trend by netting two more power-play markers before the night was over. C Morten Madsen tallied his first goal of the season, assisted by Lakos and Olvecky, at 7:12 in the third. Reitz marked his fifth goal of the season at 16:21, assisted by C Troy Riddle and Madsen for a final of 5-1 in favor of the Aeros.

The Houston Aeros take the next five days to recuperate from the three straight games before heading to take on Peoria Friday night at 7 p.m. and playing in Chicago Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Aeros return home to play San Antonio on Tuesday, November 20 for a Happy Hour game at 7:05 p.m. Follow all the action by tuning in to Jason Shaver's play-by-play action on AM 1070 KNTH or listening live on Aeros.com.

Game Notes:
• Olvecky marked a career-high in a game with three points (2-1=3), tying his career-high of two goals in a game.
• The Kalus and Gutierrez goals 39 seconds apart mark the fastest two Aeros-goals this season.
• This was only the third time this season Houston has recorded more than 30 shots on net.
• Houston has scored more than three goals only one other time this season, 6-5 SOW at San Antonio (10/19)
• The Aeros marked three power-play goals tonight compared to five PPGs in the first 12 games.

-- HOUSTON AEROS --