HOUSTON AEROS PLAYOFF UPDATE: APRIL 21

HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston Aeros had most of last week to prepare for the opening weekend of their 2008 Calder Cup Playoff bid and took one of the two games from the home team, Rockford IceHogs. After splitting back-to-back games the teams return to Houston to play Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. in game three. Games four and five will also be in Houston on Thursday and Friday nights.

Like most of the Western Conference, Houston (1-1) is all square with Rockford. Toronto is tied 1-1 with San Antonio, Manitoba is tied 1-1 with Syracuse but Chicago holds a 2-1 lead over Milwaukee to round out the rest of the division semifinals in the West. The winner of Houston-Rockford will face the winner of Chicago-Milwaukee in the West Division Finals. Tickets are still available for all three games at Toyota Center this week by calling 713.974.PUCK.

LAST WEEK
4/18 – L HOU 1 at RFD 3
4/19 – W HOU 1 at RFD 0 (2 OT)

Friday, April 18:
The Houston Aeros kept the game square through two periods but couldn’t find the net in the third to fall 3-1 to the Rockford IceHogs at Rockford MetroCentre Friday night. The IceHogs took a 1-0 series lead. The Aeros are now 3-3 all-time in the opening game Calder Cup Playoffs. 

Saturday, April 19:
The Houston Aeros’ goaltender Barry Brust blocked all 30 shots faced in a 1-0 double-overtime victory against the Rockford IceHogs. The game was only the seventh playoff game in league history that entered overtime 0-0 and finished as the longest such game with a total length of 86:57. Houston's Ryan Jones put an end to the contest with his first professional goal. The West Division Semifinal series is now tied at 1-1 with the next three games in Houston.

THIS WEEK – Division Semifinals
TUE. vs. RFD, 7:05 p.m. CDT, Toyota Center
THUR. vs. RFD, 7:05 p.m. CDT, Toyota Center
FRI. vs. RFD, 7:35 p.m. CDT, Toyota Center
SUN at RFD, 4:05 p.m. CDT, Rockford MetroCentre (if necessary)

Division Semifinal Preview
After playing the first two games in Rockford neither team has an edge in the series. Just as the regular season played out, the teams are tied 1-1. The teams have matched up very tightly throughout the IceHogs' inaugural season with each team holding a 3-3 record. Each team is 2-1 on the road, has recorded 14 goals and has a 2.67 margin of victory through the regular season.

Ryan seems to be the name so far in the Aeros post season with Ryan Hamilton and Ryan Jones scoring the club’s two goals so far this post season. Jones’ was the first of his professional career which was the game-winner in the double-overtime victory Saturday night. Nolan Schaefer was in net for the Aeros Friday night and Barry Brust backstopped Saturday’s game. Brust earned a shutout victory with nearly 87 minutes played stopping all 30 shots faced.

Aeros Player of the Week: G Barry Brust

Day      Opponent     Shots  Saves  GA    Notes
Sat.      at Rockford      30     30       0     fifth shutout of season, longest 1-0 game in AHL history
Totals                         30   30       0     Tied series at 1-1

Barry Brust helped carry the Aeros to a 1-0 victory at 6:57 in the second overtime for a total of 86:57 game time, the longest 0-0 tie in AHL history. The game was only the seventh time in league history that a playoff game has gone to overtime tied at 0. It marks the first time since April 27, 1997 when Springfield defeated Portland 1-0 at 10:20 into the first overtime. Brust was also named the Rbk X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for April leading up to the playoff run.

TEAM NOTES
• Houston played in the league’s longest 0-0 tie game which ended at 6:57 in the second overtime with Ryan Jones scoring his first professional goal. The game lasted a total of 86:57.
• Houston’s losing streak was at five in playoff games, dating back to the 2006 playoffs, but ended with the 1-0 victory Saturday night.
• Saturgame marked only the fifth time in Aeros post-season history that the final score has been 1-0, and the second such game decided in overtime. The Aeros are now 3-2 in 1-0 playoff games.
• The Aeros overall record in game two of Calder Cup opening rounds improved to 4-2.
• Houston is 13-10 in overtime playoff games in team history.

Affiliation News
The Minnesota Wild was knocked out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the opening round 4-2 by the Colorado Avalanche. The teams were tied 2-2 in the series before Colorado took the last two games, one in each building, to clinch the series.

The ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters are tied 1-1 in their South Division Semifinals round against the Columbia Inferno. The Wildcatters won 6-2 on Sunday to even the series after dropping the opening contest 4-2 Friday night. The next two games of the best-of-five series will be in Columbia this Tuesday and Wednesday with game five, if necessary, returning to Beaumont on Friday.

The Aeros continue their 2008 Calder Cup Playoff run with game three tomorrow night at Toyota Center. Tickets are available by calling 713.974.PUCK. Group discounts and special packages are still available as the Aeros “Skate to the Finish”.