JAN. 7, 2011: AEROS VS. LAKE ERIE MONSTERS, 7:35 PM
PREVIEW
The Houston Aeros (19-17-1-2) play host to Lake Erie Monsters (15-16-3-4) in the third of four meetings this season. The Monsters have won both previous matchups. Houston is coming off a come-from-behind, final-minute, 4-3 victory over San Antonio on Jan. 1 at Toyota Center. The Aeros are just eight points off the West Division lead as the West continues to be one of the tightest races in the AHL this season. Lake Erie has just three victories in its last 10 outings and sits tied with Abbotsford at the bottom of the North Division.    

UPCOMING GAMES
Jan. 8 at San Antonio, 7:00 p.m. CST
Jan. 9 vs. San Antonio, 4:05 p.m. CST
Jan. 12 at Rockford, 6:35 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 at www.ahllive.com.

AEROS AT A GLANCE
RECORD: 19-17-1-2, 39 pts., T6 West Division
HOME: 9-6-1-0
ROAD: 10-11-0-2
STREAK: WON 1

NHL AFFILIATES
Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild)
Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado Avalanche)

AEROS SPECIAL TEAMS
PP: 16.4% (20th)
PK: 84.7% (7th)

AEROS LEADERS:
POINTS: Noreau (7-16-23)/Earl (10-13-23)
GOALS: Earl/Almond (10)
ASSISTS: Noreau (16)
PIM: Kassian (87)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

TAKE NOTE--- Cody Almond and Carson McMillan each need five games to reach the 100-pro game mark…Chad Rau needs two games to reach 100 pro…JM Daoust needs 10 games to reach 400 pro and four points to reach 300…Houston’s Max Noreau is second among AHL defensemen with five PPG…Lake Erie’s Mike Carmen leads all rookies with five SHG and is second in the league overall…The Monsters are tied for second overall with eight SHG…Lake Erie plays seven straight on the road beginning tonight. From Dec. 17-Jan. 16, 12 out of 15 Monsters games are away from Cleveland.

TAKE A BREATHER --- The Aeros had five full days in between last Saturday’s win and tonight’s game. It’s one of the longest stretches between games this season. The team also had five days off between the season opener and their next game (Oct. 9-15). The longest the team has between games this season is six days (Jan. 29-Feb. 3) and a full week (Apr. 3-10).

ON THE SHELF --- Casey Wellman has missed the last five games with a lower body injury…Joel Broda has missed the last five games…Colton Gillies has missed the last four games

HOMEBOYS --- Houston has won six of nine at home dating back to a Nov. 21 victory over Texas. Four of those wins have been decided by one goal; a pair has been decided by two goals.

SCORE FIRST! --- Houston leads the AHL in first goals (24) and is 16-6-0-2 when scoring first. Cody Almond leads the club with three first-goals. Five other players have two game-opening tallies.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER --- The Aeros are 10-6-0-1 in games after a win this season…In games after a loss they are 8-8-1-0…In the second game of back-to-back outings they are 8-9-0-1…In the third game of a 3-in-3 they are 3-2-0-0.

TURNSTILE TIDBITS --- Through 16 home games, the Aeros are sixth in the AHL with an average attendance of 6,065…The 10,552 on hand for the Jan. 1 game was the largest crowd for an Aeros contest since Dec. 3, 2009, when 11,291 watched the Aeros and Rampage at Toyota Center…As of Jan. 6, 2010, the Aeros averaged 5,457 through 21 games.

NORTHBOUND --- The Aeros played six in a row vs. the North from Dec. 12-21 and went 1-5-0-0 in that span. That’s the longest stretch the team played non-West Division rivals this season. The Aeros play four non-West games Jan. 22-28.

HEATIN’ UP --- Robbie Earl has points in four his last five games (2-3-5)…Tyler Cuma has points in two straight (1-1-2).

FOUR-SCORE --- When scoring at least four goals the Aeros are undefeated (12-0-0-0). Houston has yet to win a game when allowing four or more goals (0-9-0-0) and is 0-6-0-0 on the road when doing so.

SCHEDULE NOTES --- The Aeros play 13 games in January with seven of those games at home. Six games this month are against West rivals.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES --- F Jed Ortmeyer was loaned from MIN on Jan. 5…F Peter Zingoni was returned on loan to BAK on Jan. 5…F Pascal Morency was loaned to BAK on Jan. 4… F Brock McBride was released from his PTO on Dec. 31...D Jared Spurgeon was recalled by MIN on Dec. 30…F Sean Muncy and F Aaron Lewicki were released from their PTO's on Dec. 28...F Pascal Morency was recalled from BAK on Dec. 28...D Jared Spurgeon was reassigned by MIN on Dec. 28.
 
LAST GAME QUICK RECAP
Chad Rau and Warren Peters scored goals 20 seconds apart in the final minute of the third period to lift the Houston Aeros past the San Antonio Rampage 4-3 on New Year’s Day at Toyota Center in front of 10,552 fans. Cody Almond had a goal, an assist and a fight for the Aeros while Peters scored the winner in his first game back in the lineup after missing three straight.