DEC. 21, 2010: AEROS VS. BULLDOGS
OVERVIEW
The Houston Aeros (16-14-1-2) play host to the Hamilton Bulldogs (18-9-1-3) for the second and final meeting this season. The Aeros, who have dropped three-in-a-row, return home after a five-game road trip in which they went 1-4-0-0. Houston remains in the thick of the West Division race. The Aeros trail fifth place Oklahoma City by one point, fourth place Milwaukee by three points and first place San Antonio by 10 points. Hamilton, meanwhile, leads the North Division and has won four of their last six. One of the two losses in that span came at the hands of the Aeros (a 3-1 decision on Dec. 14).
UPCOMING GAMES
Dec. 21 vs. Hamilton, 7:05 p.m. CST
Dec. 26 vs. Texas, 4:05 p.m. CST
Dec. 27 at San Antonio, 7:00 p.m. CST
BROADCAST INFO
Follow the Aeros on News Talk 1070 KNTH and online at AEROS.COM with Joe O’Donnell providing the play-by-play call. Watch every game, in its entirety, online at www.ahllive.com.
CLICK HERE FOR GAMEDAY AUDIO CLIPS
AEROS AT A GLANCE
RECORD: 16-14-1-2, 35 pts., 6th, West Division
HOME: 7-5-1-0
ROAD: 9-9-0-2
STREAK: LOST 3
NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PP: 16.7% (18th)
PK: 84.7% (9th)
LEADERS:
POINTS: Noreau (7-12-19)
GOALS: Earl/Almond (8)
ASSISTS: DiSalvatore (13)
PIM: Kassian (75)
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
WATCH FOR THIS --- HOU’S Max Noreau is tied for the lead among defensemen with five goals…HAM’s David Desharnais is second in AHL scoring (8-28-36) and first in assists. A total of 15 of those helpers have come on the power play. He owns the AHL’s season long scoring streak with points in 15 straight games (Oct. 15-Nov. 13)…HAM’s Max Pacioretty is tied for the AHL goals lead (17). He was recalled by Montreal on Dec. 12…HAM Goalie Curtis Sanford is fourth in save percentage (.939).
TRENDING --- The Aeros have allowed the first goal in three of the last four games after scoring first in eight straight.
SCORE FIRST! --- The Aeros had scored the first goal in eight consecutive games (Nov. 26-Dec. 12, 5-3-0-0) until HAM drew first blood on Dec. 14. Houston leads the AHL in first goals (22) and is 15-5-0-2 when scoring first. The Aeros also scored the first goal in seven straight games (Oct. 29-Nov. 8) and were 4-1-0-2 in that span.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER --- The Aeros are 9-5-0-1 in games after a win this season…In games after a loss they are 6-6-1-0…In the second game of back-to-back outings they are 8-8-0-1…In the third game of a 3-in-3 they are 3-2-0-0.
HOMEBOYS --- Houston has won seven of nine at home dating back to an Oct. 31 victory over Texas. Four of those wins have been by one goal; a pair has been decided by two goals...Eight of Houston’s 13 home games have been one-goal decisions (4-3-1-0) and three have been decided by two goals (2-1)…Except for an 8-2 loss to Peoria and a 5-3 defeat by San Antonio, the Aeros have not allowed more than three goals in a home game…Goals allowed (1 – 2X; 2 – 5X; 3 - 4X; 5 – 1X; 8 – 1X).
KHUDOBIN AT HOME --- Anton Khudobin has won six-straight home starts, posting a 2.08 GAA and .933 save percentage over that span.
NORTHBOUND --- The Aeros are 3-5-0-2 vs. North Division teams this season. The Aeros play six in a row vs. the North from Dec. 12-21. The current stretch is the longest the team plays non-West Division rivals. The Aeros play four non-West games Jan. 22-28.
WHEN IT’S CLOSE --- The Aeros are 7-4-1-2 in games decided by one goal.
HEATIN’ UP --- Cody Almond has goals in two of the last three games (3-0-3)…Jon DiSalvatore and Warren Peters each have assists (0-3-3) in two of the last three.
FOUR-SCORE --- When scoring at least four goals the Aeros are undefeated (10-0-0-0). Houston has yet to win a game when allowing four or more goals (0-8-0-0) and is 0-6-0-0 on the road when doing so.
SCHEDULE NOTES --- Nine of the final 12 games of 2010 are on the road…A total of 18 of Houston’s final 27 games in the calendar year of 2010 are away from Toyota Center…The team plays five games in seven days from Dec. 12-18.
RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- F Joel Broda and F Peter Zingoni were recalled from Bakersfield on Dec. 20…D Marco Scandella was recalled by MIN on Dec. 20…F Brock McBride was released from his PTO on Dec. 16…F Warren Peters was reassigned by MIN on Dec. 13…F Warren Peters was recalled by MIN on Dec. 11…Jamie Fraser was reassigned to Elmira (ECHL) on Dec. 10.
LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Anton Khudobin stopped 19 of 20 shots but the effort wasn’t enough to push the Houston Aeros over the top in a 1-0 loss to the Manitoba Moose on Saturday night at the MTS Centre. Manitoba’s Sergei Shirokov broke a 0-0 deadlock 3:51 into the third period with his seventh goal of the season. Travis Ramsay and Shawn Weller earned helpers on the goal.
